3 bar menu

Azur Lane: Episode of Belfast Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 13

But even so, with those thin limbs and the bag covering her head, there was no actual way of knowing who that might have been.

One thing was known for sure here: she weighed very little. That’s why she was so fast on her feet.

And that was a decisive difference between here and Belfast and the others: speed.

「Now just how am I supposed to catch something that is so fast?」

If you can’t catch something yourself……

In that case, the method that Belfast had chosen here was ––––––

* * *

「…… So? May I ask what the reason for you to actually summon us in here is?」

Nelson asked that question to Belfast while looking slightly irritated.

Currently, the inside of the kitchen was full of shipgirls, including the members of the Maids Corps.

There was Nelson, there was Rodney, there was Renown, there was Repulse, there was Javelin, there was York, and there was Cygnet……

They were all people who had direct exchanges and interactions with Belfast either through classes, military commissions or a complete chance meeting after being back from one’s hot springs day off.

「I do believe that it is imperative for all of us to work together in order to stop the candy thief.」

When the Head Maid answered Nelson’s question, Cygnet’s face turned pale in an instant.

「B-but…… O-Our opponent is a Ghost Maid wearing a cloth bag over her face, and we are…… There is no way that we can fight back against something that is so scary……」

「J-Javelin is getting kinda scared simply by listening to you guys talking about it, too……」

Seeing the Destroyers acting so scared and reluctant to take action, York started to laugh, even though her shoulders were quite visibly shaking at the current moment.

「Fufufu……! I see that our opponent is the mighty Scarecrow herself! This is going to be a worthy test of my power! My Force is going to twist her really good!」

「Well, isn’t that encouraging?」

When Belfast grinned to herself just like that, Renown opened her mouth and spoke up.

「Belfast. Why didn’t you say anything about any of this to us earlier on, back at the staircase? We could have lend you a hand right away!」

「Yes, that’s right! Besides, isn’t this getting out of control? Right now it’s a pretty huge deal, I you were to ask me.」

Following her sister’s words, Repulse also added her own thoughts into the discussion.

「I am truly sorry for not telling you what was going on back then. However, I would like you to understand that at the time we were hoping to settle this matter as quietly and as discreetly as possible.」

Although it was way too late now to apologize for her shortcomings, Belfast still bowed down her head deeply towards Repulse and Renown.

Thanks to the combined efforts of Sheffield and the other maids it seems that the cake was managed to be finished somehow, but at the same time they managed to finish it way later than they initially had planned.

「Perhaps if I asked for your help back then, we would not be in this kind of perilous situation right about now.」

Belfast then slowly looked at everyone’s faces.

「However, I’m afraid that this thief is no longer something that the Maid Corps can hope to possibly contain on our own. But still, even though I knew that all too well…… I was still reluctant to ask for help, since in the past there was never a crisis or a situation that I could not possibly resolve on my own.」

Everyone was listening quietly to Belfast as she was speaking those words.

Both Fortune and Foxhound were visibly shaking like crazy.

Erebus, Terror, and Vampire who came to help because they must have found this entire situation to be extremely amusing.

「However, if there is one thing that I have managed to learn throughout the past six months, it is the fact that sometimes in life, there are situations where you cannot hope to accomplish something on your own. That sometimes you must ask others for help, no matter how reluctant you might be to do so. After spending a lot of time with everyone here…… I have come to think that there is nothing wrong with admitting your own mistakes and shortcomings, and there is no shame in asking for help.」

Once again, Belfast bowed her head politely towards everyone present.

「And as much as it pains me to do so…… As the Head Maid of the Royal Navy’s Maid Corps, I would like to ask you all for your cooperation in this time of crisis. Would you please help us catch the candy thief for the sake of our Maid Corps and everyone else living in this dormitory?」

For a long moment out there the inside of the kitchen went completely silent.

「–––––– Good grief, look what you just did. Now you have made me feel bad for being all pretentious like that.」

Nelson was the first one to break through the insurmountable wall of silence. Then she came right up towards Belfast, and opened her mouth after gently placing her hand on the Head Maid’s shoulder.

「Even if you did not go out of your way to say all that and ask for our help, I am sure that everyone in here would still offer their assistance whether you would like it or not. I’m sure I would do just that.」

「It’s just as Nee-sama is saying, Belfast. So don’t worry about it too much.」

Next to Nelson, Rodney lined up in the same way, placing her hand on Belfast’s shoulder.

「Thieves who steal candy from little children won’t be shown any kind of mercy. So they’d better brace themselves for what’s coming for them!」

Just then, Renown and Repulse pitched in as well, and naturally York was soon to follow in everyone else’s footsteps.

「Of course, we are going to cooperate as well. We were having so much free time on our hands that we were just wondering what we should do to pass it all.」

After saying that, Vampire jumped down from the table on which she was sitting, and both Erebus and Terror followed suit after her.

「J-J-Javelin too! I’m not afraid of ghosts or anything like that! Y-Yeah!」

「Fueah…… W-We shall do our very best as well!」

Then both Javelin and Cygnet added their resolve in, although the two were still trembling and hugging each other tightly as to give themselves some much needed courage.

「W-We too! Don’t you forget about us! We can’t just let some stupid thief having a blast at our expense all the time, after all!」

「I-I just hope that the Thief-san’s luck is finally going to run our sooner than later……」

Finally, both Foxhound and Fortune joined with Belfast and the others, displaying a tremendous amount of courage considering their current situation.

「Everyone……!」

Belfast clenched her fist tightly seeing such a marvelous display of camaraderie from everyone present.

With all that being said, with the addition of Nelson and the company to the Maid Corps, it was at this very moment that the “Anti-Candy Thief Alliance” were formed!

「–––––– Belfast-nee-sama.」

At that time, Bel-chan came up to her big sister.

It looked like she wanted to say something to her, but had no idea how to put her thoughts into words. Seeing her like that, Belfast crouched down and said to her with a smile:

「There is no need for you to worry, Bel-chan. However, once the operation is going to be in full swing, I would like you to stay at my side at all times and not leave. Can you do that?」

「Say, Bel?」

Belfast could then hear Edinburgh whispering into her ear, so quiet as to make sure that no one else would be able to hear her now.

「Earlier you said that you had “Something prepared for everyone in here”, but…… Do we really have enough of that “something” to give it to everyone equally?」

「But of course we do. No need for concern, Nee-san.」

When Belfast said so in a smooth voice and a big smile on her face, Edinburgh involuntarily started to sweat all over once the realization of her younger sister’s words hit her.

「W-Wait a moment!? A-Are you really sure this is going to be okay!?」

「Yes, it is going to be quite alright. After all, I have already went and obtained the necessary permission for it.」

Belfast then gently stroked Edinburgh’s hair as the smile present on her lips became even bigger and even more radiant.

「Next time…… We are definitely not letting our thief get away.」

At that exact moment, the Head Maid’s eyes were glowing with a bright and passionate light.

* * *

Sometime later. The time was so late that the sun was slowly beginning to set over the horizon.

It was at this time that the candy thief disguised as the maid, for the time being known as Scarecrow –––––– decided to head towards the Royal Navy’s dormitory once again.