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

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Translator: Kurehashi Aiko

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PART 3

 

[Huh? Umm, y-yes, that was indeed my intention here……]

 

[Fufun, hmm, I see, I see. Good.]

 

Hearing Edinburgh’s words, Elizabeth’s gaze became much sharper for some reason, and then Her Majesty stared in the distance, as if she was trying to see something well beyond the horizon.

 

Her genuinely uninterested tone of voice was as clumsy as ever, to the point where Belfast almost burst out laughing by accident.

 

[Would you perhaps like to come with me on this trip, Your Majesty?]

 

When Belfast asked her that with a smile on her face, Elizabeth turned her head back towards her Head Maid as if she had been waiting for those exact words to occur.

 

[Nmuh…… Hmm, I guess it really cannot be helped, huh? Now listen to me here, Bel. When it comes to sending people off somewhere, it’s like, really annoying, you know?]

 

[Yes. I do realize that, Your Majesty.]

 

[It’s really, really, really, really annoying! And I’m not saying that only because I cannot go there myself, just so that we are clear on that one! But I guess if you really insist on me going together with you, Bel, then I have no other choice but to agree and go!]

 

[Yes, and I would be honored for you to accompany me, Your Majesty.]

 

[But you know…… I would like you to say it officially. No, I want to hear you say it!]

 

[Would you like to accompany me on this holiday trip, Your Majesty?]

 

Elizabeth puffed out her small chest and laughed as she snorted with satisfaction upon hearing those words.

 

[Alright then! I guess that some things really cannot be helped, no matter what you say or do! And if you want me to go together with you so badly, Bel, I guess I have no other choice but to accompany you! Fufun, oh Bel, if I knew that you would feel so lonely on your own, you should have said so from the start! That would have changed everything.]

 

[Yes, that’s right, Your Majesty. This Belfast right here is a maid who gets lonely really easily~.]

 

Belfast, while doing her best to try and stop herself from laughing or giggling, held her hand in front of her chest and then she slowly bowed down her head in front of Elizabeth.

 

And when she slowly lifted her head back up, she was able to catch a glimpse of Warspite’s figure back in the corridor.

 

[Hmm, I see. So that’s how it is, huh?]

 

It seems that in the end it was not Elizabeth who managed to wake up on her own today after all.

 

Belfast was sure that Elizabeth must have been sitting behind her desk and taking care of paperwork late into the night last night, but she must have made sure that she would wake up early enough for this exact situation to play out. Inside of her heart, Belfast thanked the Old Lady in the corridor for waking Her Majesty up on time.

 

[Then let us hurry up and get ready. Oh, and Bel? That hairstyle of yours for today is really cute. Did Edi do that for you?]

 

[Yes, that’s right. Since you seem to like it so much, would you like me to style your hair in a similar way in a moment or so, before you board the train, Your Majesty?]

 

While Edinburgh and Elizabeth were busy chatting and leaving the room first, Belfast opened the fiber trunk and stuffed some spare underwear and clothes inside, just to be on the safe side.

 

Then, while wondering if the beneficial effects of the hot springs would improve her skills and efficiency as a maid in general, Belfast finished her preparations and followed the other two with her trunk firmly in her hands.

***

[This far should be more than good enough.]

 

When the Belfast’s group reached the outer gate on the north side of their Home Port, Belfast turned around and looked behind her.

 

The gate together with its high outer walls and lookout tower was left open for the impending supplies to arrive and pass through the checkpoint that was here.

 

[Huh? What are you talking about, Bel? I’m obviously going to the station with you as well, since I have already come this far. Isn’t that only natural?]

 

Edinburgh scolded Belfast while Elizabeth pouted her mouth visibly.

 

[If memory serves me correctly, you did not receive permission to leave outside of the Home Port, Nee-san.]

 

[That’s right! Besides, I’m sure that this has nothing to do with seeing Bel off or guarding me, the Queen! Admit it! You just want to see the train with your own eyes, do you!?]

 

Upon hearing her sister’s embarrassing words, Belfast tried to persuade her with logic, while Queen Elizabeth started to openly pester her about the possible ulterior motives that the other maid might have had here.

 

[Nee-san, if I’m not mistaken about this, there should be some frozen milk being kept inside of the Still Room in the annex of the Royal Navy’s Dormitory.]

 

A Still Room is a room where the distillation process would usually take place in distilleries and wineries, but the maids of the Royal Navy’s Dormitory were using one such room as a mere additional storage room. The Still Room has not only refrigerated items being kept in it, but also frozen items as well, making it a particularly useful place during the humid summer months for a variety of reasons.

 

[Today is supposed to be very hot and humid, and if I hadn’t had extra time to spare, I was thinking of making some ice cream for everyone after I was going to be finished with my gardening duties.]

 

[I-Ice cream!? Did you just say ice cream!?]

 

Just as Belfast had expected, just hearing those two words made Her Majesty’s attention shift from the subject at hand, now being completely fixated on the matter of the tasty treat.

 

[Edi! I want some ice cream! Like, right now! On the double!]

 

After she shouted those words, Elizabeth grabbed Edinburgh’s hand and started to forcibly pull her away from the port’s gate.

 

[Y-Your Majesty!? Please wait just a moment, Your Majesty! I can walk on my own perfectly well, you know!?  –––––– B-Bye, Bel! Have a good time! And see you back tomorrow!]

 

[Yes, thank you very much. I will be on my way now.]

 

[Bel! Just for today, you are to forget all about your maid duties and just focus on kicking back and relaxing, so that you can resume your duties tomorrow being all well-rested!]

 

Finally, Queen Elizabeth also turned towards Belfast and shouted those words from afar, where Belfast could hardly even hear her.

 

After waving her hand at them until the two were finally completely out of sight, Belfast began walking beyond the gate, towards the railway station.

The railway station itself was not all that far from the Home Port, and Belfast managed to arrive at her destination after a short and pleasant walk alongside the road.

 

When Belfast passed through the station building and came out into a semi-open corridor, she could hear the chirping of cicadas perched on the nearby green leaves, and she felt that the time was passing here at a much more leisurely pace than usual.

 

[It’s so peaceful here……]

 

Sitting on a bench in the corridor, Belfast did nothing but wait for the train to arrive eventually.

 

A warm breeze gently blew, rustling the leaves on the trees, causing the shade to fluctuate and shift.

 

The sweat on Belfast’s back managed to cool down for now and the way in which she currently was was so very comfortable.

 

[Maybe it’s not really all that bad to relax like this once in a while?]

 

Beyond the roof over the corridor, Belfast could see a larger human-shaped cloud than she had seen from the kitchen this morning.

 

Belfast also wondered if there was perhaps some private house nearby, for she could hear the wind chimes ringing loudly and happily from somewhere off in the distance. She closed her eyes, listened to the faint sound in the quiet and tranquil moment, and spent a really peaceful time while she waited for the train, away from the hustle and bustle of her everyday life. It was actually a pretty enjoyable change of pace.

 

It also felt very luxurious to her for some reason.

 

Belfast wondered if it was really okay for the Head Maid to take some time off from work like that, but now Belfast was starting to see just how enjoyable a day off from work could really be, albeit it was still something that felt like a little bit too much for her.

 

—— But since that was her first day off in quite a while, since she was going to be away from home and work, she might as well want to enjoy it to the fullest, so that she would really go back home well-rested and refreshed.

 

And  that’s what she’s been doing for a moment, just thinking like that.

 

For how long was she doing that now? Five minutes? Maybe more?

 

[Umm, are you perhaps ––––––?]

 

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