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

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Translator: Kurehashi Aiko

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PART 10

 

Truth to be told, the moment that Elizabeth nominated Edinburgh to be the one to brew the tea for everyone currently present at the party, for a moment out there Belfast considered it as a huge red flag. 

 

However, it would seem that her sister’s natural happy-go-lucky attitude and scatter-brained personality were reflected in the way in which she brewed that tea, allowing her to mix up something truly incredible.

 

But still, that was not plausible enough of an explanation how Edinburgh managed to brew such a magnificent pot of tea, especially when she was being put on the spot like that.

 

Out of sheer personal curiosity, Belfast wanted to go and grill her sister for some much needed details right about now.

 

However,

 

–––––– With so many people present in here at the current moment, Belfast would be unable to do that. Not to mention the fact that Her Majesty was here as well. And the fact that they were still in the middle of the tea party right about now…… 

 

Which was a shame, because Belfast would really like to taste that strangely rustic tea some more if she could help it.

 

For the time being, Belfast had to stand on her post and make sure that the tea party would continue flawlessly and without incidents.

 

However, deep down inside of her heart, the Head Maid part of her personality was slowly starting to reach a boiling point, and she could clearly feel it. But for the time being there was nothing that she could do about it.

 

* * *

The sun had completely set beyond the horizon, and the current time was slightly after the 8:00 p.m.

 

Since even after the tea party was over Belfast still had her duties to perform, such as helping with the dinner preparations and ironing her uniform for the next day, there was no actual way for her to be able to come to Edinburgh and ask her about the events that transpired earlier on today. And the fact that she was unable to do so was really starting to make a toll on Belfast’s nerves.

 

But fortunately enough for Belfast, the busy part of her day was finally coming to an end. 

 

Now that all of the student shipgirls that were living in the dormitory have finished their meal, all that’s left was to simply wash the dirty dishes all at once in the kitchen.

 

For a short period of time, the only sound that could be heard inside of the kitchen was that of Belfast meticulously working her way through the dirty plates, cluttering of porcelain followed by the sound of running water.

 

But then there was something else, a loud cluttering of plates that was a far cry from natural or intended.

 

With nothing more but a hunch and a bad feeling guiding her, Belfast stopped doing what she was doing and she hurriedly started to search for the source of the loud sound, only to stumble across something that could only be described as a catastrophe in the making unfolding right in front of her very eyes.

 

[Ooops…… I think I might have accidentally pile up those plates a little bit too high……]

 

And the source of that catastrophe in the making was now several meters away from Belfast.

 

It was none other than a fellow member of the Maid Corps, the County Class Heavy Cruiser Kent.

 

To be more specific –––––– the source of the impending catastrophe were two stacks of more than twenty dirty plates that she was carrying in each of her hands.

 

And as one might have expected from two towers of porcelain like the ones Kent was carrying, they were shaking and swaying to the sides all the time, tilting dangerously and sometimes almost ending up touching one another.

 

Also, there was a matter that with two stacks of plates in her hands like that, there was no way that Kent could possibly see anything right in front of her, or where she was going. And the unsteady way in which she was making each and every single step was more than enough to give anyone who would be watching her right now an anxiety attack.

 

Without being able to confirm the path right in front of you, there was only one way in which this could end. And that was something Belfast would rather want to avoid.

 

[Kent. I want you to stay perfectly still. Don’t move even an inch until I say so.]

 

In order to avoid the worst future imaginable right now, Belfast cautiously went into action. She also decided to speak as calmly and quietly as possible, as to avoid scaring Kent and causing her to drop the plates by accident.

 

[What? What’s wrong, Head Maid?]

 

But rather, that plan ended up backfiring horribly.

 

The moment Belfast realized what was going on, it was already too late to do anything about it. Hearing Belfast addressing her, Kent tried to turn around in one swift motion, all the while yelling out loud. At that exact moment, the two porcelain towers in her hands swayed mightily and caused the maid to lose her balance and start to fall forward. As a result of that action, the two stacks of dirty plates began to slowly collapse.

 

Right after she understood that, Belfast started running at full speed.

 

In a blink of an eye, Belfast managed to shorten the distance between herself and Kent, and she did so just in the nick of time, managing to catch the first plate that was on the verge of actually hitting the floor. Then, as two more plates started to fall down towards the floor, Belfast managed to secure them while she crouched down.

 

Luckily for the two maids, it was only those three plates that fell from the two stacks, others miraculously managing to stay in place.

 

[WAH! Wawawawawah!!!]

 

Although Kent somehow managed to restore her balance, unfortunately enough the recoil from that action caused even more of the plates to start to shake and slide off of the two piles. And no matter just how good Kent’s reflexes were here, it was literally impossible for her to slip backwards with her hands still occupied, and that sadly resulted in two of the plates falling down and slamming against the floor at full speed, shattering into tiny little pieces.

 

When Belfast raised hear head towards the rest of the two piles, she could see one more plate starting to slip and becoming about ready to plummet towards the kitchen floor.

 

Thinking to herself that she couldn’t possibly allow any more plates to fall onto the floor and shatter, Belfast leaned backwards and quickly placed the three plates she managed to catch on the floor. Next, without even waiting for the situation to develop further, she jumped in the air and caught the plate in her hand before it managed to fall and shatter like its predecessors did. 

 

That should have been the end of it.

 

But then, the oil-covered plate slid off of Belfast’s hand and was shot forward, spinning like a Frisbee while being at it. It then continued to fly across the kitchen.

 

Of course, the spinning flying object started to lose its speed and altitude soon enough, falling down and crushing into the floor with a loud sound of broken porcelain.

 

[……………]

 

Realizing that her intention to prevent a disaster from happening only caused it to take place, albeit on a much smaller scale, caused Belfast’s cheeks to become red with embarrassment. That was not the finale that the Head Maid wanted to be a part of.

 

[What’s wrong? What was that sound just now?]

 

Immediately after the sound of the shattering plate died down, Edinburgh jumped into the kitchen while yelling those words, followed by Suffolk and Sheffield who were also clearly in a panic. Seeing the scene before them, the three shouted out loud while going towards Belfast.

 

[I’m sorry……Head Maid!]

 

Realizing that it was all her fault, Kent started to apologize to Belfast while looking all nervous. However, Belfast only answered her in the following way:

 

[What’s done is done. Now, I don’t want you to be careless with pieces of the broken porcelain, because it can be really dangerous. Let’s clean this mess up, shall we?]

 

[Yes……]

 

Even though Kent tried to give Belfast a smile, it was a smile filled with remorse, so much different from her usual one. Kent then followed Belfast towards the small closet in the corner of the kitchen, from which they have taken out various cleaning supplies. 

 

[A-After I’m done with my own chores, should I lend you a hand with this as well?]

 

As soon as Edinburgh entered the kitchen, she rushed towards her sister’s side.

 

[If you want to help us Nee-san, can I ask you to finish washing the dirty dishes? There is still quite a bit of them left in the sink. Think you could do that for me?]

 

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