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Azur Lane: Episode of Belfast Volume 1 Chapter 1 Part 7

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Translator: Kurehashi Aiko

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PART 7

 

[Your Majesty, I have tried to bake some scones myself, and I would very much like you to try them.]

 

Warspite then passed the tray that she was holding onto Belfast while bowing down her head politely.

 

[…… Well, have a seat, then.]

 

After Elizabeth gave Warspite permission to join the tea party, the Old Lady quietly nodded her head as she sat down next to Her Majesty.

 

[Perhaps I was worried too much here?]

 

Belfast said to herself in a hushed voice while she moved a step away from the round table and took a seat behind everyone present.

 

[I-I’m sorry for being late……]

 

Just then, Edinburgh appeared in the courtyard with a serving cart packed to the brim with tea and tea sets for everyone in attendance. Although it took quite a while to get the second stove going, once that was done the preparations could continue as usual, but there was still a delay.

 

This was also a que for Belfast to get up from her seat, and that her short breather was over. She then bowed her head and proceeded to explain today’s lineup to the guests.

 

[Everyone, thank you very much for coming to this tea party and gracing us with your presence. As the hosts of today’s tea party, it is our sincerest belief that social gatherings like this one serve to strengthen the bonds of friendship and comradery between our various factions. Please, as a token of our gratitude, accept this black tea and the assortment of sweets that come with it.]

 

As some shipgrils started to eat the sweets and drink the tea without hesitation, Warspite stood up with the tray still in her hands, as if that was her cue to act. She then placed the tray on the table.

 

[This is the result of me trying to bake some scones for the first time ever. If it would please you, please help yourselves to some of them while you drink the tea together with them.]

 

[Oh my, Warspite-sama tried her hand at baking scones?]

 

While hearing Warspite’s proclamation, one of the gathered shipgirls let out a surprise-filled voice while she looked towards Belfast and Warspite, her face filled with intrigue.

 

Her calm demeanor and the way in which she was carrying herself were full of adult femininity and elegance. Her gaze was filled with warmth and a pair of huge bulges on her chest were in stark contrast to the Queen’s flatness sitting across from her behind the round table.

 

That woman was named Illustrious, and she was the Aircraft Carrier of the Illustrious Class. She was wearing a long white dress with black brim, and her long white hair seemed to shine in the afternoon’s sunlight. She then flashed a warm smile at Warspite.

 

[Now, this is really picking my interest. Have you been making sweets and pastries for a long time now?]

 

[I have only began to take interest in baking sweets recently, but the way that those scone turned out is something that I would like to be proud of!]

 

With that being said, Warspite put her hand on the napkin that was covering the tray up to this point, and then she removed in a quick motion that she clearly had to train a whole lot.

 

As soon as the scones of her making were revealed to the gathered people, everyone became lost for words on the spot, as if they were winding it difficult to react or comment.

 

[So? How are they? I dare say that they came out pretty good.]

 

And with just how proud Warspite seemed to be with her own work, everyone present was having an even harder time at commenting what they could see right in front of their eyes.

 

Because there was so many things to actually comment on, that it was difficult to choose where to start.

 

The first thing that comes to mind was the sheer size of those scones. Because every single scone here was actually the size of a softball, which was a clear abbreviation from their usual small, bite size. Then there was a matter of their color. No matter how you would look at it, they were simply too black. For a moment out there, Belfast seriously doubted that Warspite took the right thing with herself, and that she had mistakenly brought a tray full of marbles or stones with herself.

 

[Umm, W-Warspite-sama…… A-Are those really scones? Are you sure of it?]

 

Sitting right next to Illustrious was Hood, battlecruiser of the Admiral class. Normally she was conducting herself in a graceful and elegant manner, but right about now she was fidgeting in her place while looking at Warspite’s scones with both surprise and disbelief visible on her face.

 

[But of course. As expected of you, Hood-dono, even you yourself must be astonished just how well those things turned out to be, huh?]

 

Right next to Hood was sitting Prince of Wales, a battleship of the King George V class. Just like everyone else here, she was looking at Warspite’s scones in pure astonishment, unable to comprehend just how it was possible for Warspite to be so proud of the things that were served on the plate.

 

[I-Incidentally, Warspite? Could it be that you have also put chocolate inside of those scones? Is that why they are of this strange color?]

 

[Hmm? What are you talking about, Wales? No matter how you try to look at them, those are some plain and ordinary scones right here.]

 

It would seem that the last possible bit of hope, the scones being some sort of eccentric take on the original recipe, was now entirely out of the question. Realizing that face, Illustrious, Hood, and Prince of Wales could only let out a deep and long sight, a sad “Ahh……” that accompanied them shaking their heads in apparent disbelief.

 

[W-Well, for the time being, how about we give them a taste, shall we? We might be pleasantly surprised. Right?]

 

Elisabeth, as if she had come to her senses from the initial shock and surprise, called out to everyone present, and as if on cue, Illustrious and other shipgirls quickly picked up the scones from the tray and place them inside of their mouths. And once they did just that, the others also followed suit, taking the scones from the tray and putting them inside of their mouths.

 

[I must say, they are quite hard to bite into and ––––––]

 

While saying so, Illustrious put a smallest piece of the scone that she could possibly take out of the entire thing, and then she placed it inside of her mouth. 

 

As for Belfast, she decided to pause for a moment here and simply observe just how this situation would possibly develop.

 

[H-How is it? W-What do you think, Illustrious-san……?]

 

In response to Hood’s words and dire look in her eyes, Illustrious kept smiling as per usual, her expression unhanged.

 

[Hmm, it looks like they are safe to eat, at the very least…… Well then, allow me to take a bite as well.]

 

With that said, Prince of Wales also put a piece of the mysteriously suspicious scone inside of her mouth.

 

[…… UHH!]

 

In the very next moment, Prince of Wales’s expression turned pale and then blue in an instant.

 

[Oh no, this is terrible! Illustrious-san, now that I look at you closely, you are still smiling but behind that smile you are also thinking just how bad those things are!]

 

When Hood finally noticed that Illustrious was also suffering the same way as Prince of Wales did, but managed to mask it all with a smile, both she and Prince of Wales leaned over towards one another so that Warspite would not be able to hear them.

 

At the same time, they were worried that they might actually faint before long from the shock.

 

[B-But why…… How could this be!? Even though they look so delicious!!!]

 

But unfortunately for everyone present, as expected, Warspite managed to notice that something was seriously wrong with her hand-made scones, and rushed towards the shipgirls who had gone all blue on their faces. Then, upon realizing what the problem here was, she sat back down, her spirits deteriorating rapidly.

 

[B-Bel! Bring me the stomach pain medicine right away! Hurry up! On the double!]

 

Elizabeth shouted the orders at the Head Maid, but even if she did not do that, Belfast would still be on her way dashing out from the courtyard and back into the building.

 

And while she was running towards the first aid kit that was in the building, Belfast also noticed that this was perhaps the most intense run that she had so far today.

–––––– About ten minutes later.

 

Finally, when the chaos caused by Warspite’s hand-made confections started to subside, Warspite herself took one of her scones and placed it in her mouth. She then grunted in disgust, realizing just how much of a failure that thing really was.

 

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