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Azur Lane: Episode of Belfast Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 4

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Translator: Kurehashi Aiko

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PART 4

 

「Oh well, at least I know that it is going to be a big one. I guess that this will have to suffice for now.」

 

Elisabeth whispered those words softly to herself, and then she addressed Belfast again, this time with a louder voice.

 

「Oh well, I guess it cannot really be helped, huh? If you say that it is a surprise, then I guess I have no choice but to stay put for now and wait, huh?」

 

「Yes, Your Highness. That would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much for being so understanding.」

 

Belfast then smiled in a warm way.

 

Nodding her head in affirmation and seemingly satisfied with herself, Elizabeth lets out a small giggle of self-satisfaction.

 

「Yes, I guess that some things in this life really cannot be helped. Well then, I must go for now, but I expect that you are going to grant me the tastiest of treats when the time comes!」

 

She said, although there was still a part of her expression that looked to be slightly disappointed that she was unable to sneak a peek at the sweets that were being made inside of the kitchen.

 

That was also when Elizabeth’s gaze rested on the figure of Bel-chan.

 

「But even so, I must say that this girl…… Now she finally started to look like Edi and Bel. She’s become your little sister through and through.」

 

Elizabeth then approached Bel-chan and looked at her from above, while Bel-chan’s expression managed to remain perfectly blank.

 

「I guess that in the beginning it was hard for her to really feel like the integral part of the Maid Corps, but now she seems to be getting along with everyone else quite well.」

 

No matter how you look at it, Bel-chan was an identical copy of Belfast. The only difference being that she was a child.

 

But that would be the most accurate way to describe the being that was Bel-chan: a smaller, child-like Belfast.

 

But how on Earth did that actually happen? How come that Bel-chan came to be in the first place? What exactly happened between the School Festival and now ––––––

–––––– In order to explain that, we need to go back in time a little bit, to “that” particular day, a few days after the school festival officially ended. And that day was also a particularly sunny and pleasant day like the one that was today.

 

In a certain place around the Home Port area, Akashi and Yuubari of the Sakura Empire were in the middle of conducting a “certain experiment”.

 

That particular experiment was called “The 265th Wisdom Cube Structural Analysis Experiment”, and its premise was the structural analysis of the Wisdom Cube as well as its ability to radiate heat, performed with the aid of the “Irradiation Device (Provisional Name)” taken from the Sirens.

 

As for what exactly the Wisdom Cube is, it is a “ a metaphysical object that contains the thoughts, ideals and beliefs of humanity inside of itself. This object is embodied in Shipgirls and is their basic foundation.“

 

It is also a valuable resource that could only be collected, and it could never be manufactured in any other way.

 

At that time, the analysis experiment of this Wisdom Cube, a precious material with more unknowns to it than meets the eye, was just about to begin.

 

The light that came out when the two shipgirls shot the heat beam right into the Wisdom cube happened to hit Belfast directly, who just so happened to be there because Akashi wanted to see her for some reason.

 

As a result of that accident, the treasured Wisdom Cube disappeared into nothingness, and in its place was this little Bel-chan.

 

Belfast, an existence born from the power of the Wisdom Cube, doesn’t have a “childhood” record like any normal human being would.

 

In other words, Bell-chan is not the Belfast of the past because Belfast has always been the same since she was first born into this world.

 

By the way, for some reason Bel-chan also called herself ‘Belfast’ and would refuse to be addressed otherwise.

 

However, since it would have been very confusing for everyone else in the dormitory to have two people of the same name here, in order for everyone else to be able to distinguish between the two, everyone decided to call this little Belfast ‘Bel-chan’.

 

「I will do my very best to catch up to you in no time, Nee-samas!」

 

With a sharp expression written all over her face, Bel-chan shouted from the bottom of her heart.

 

「Good! It’s always great to see someone being so motivated to do their absolute best. Of course, I will also continue to work my hardest!」

 

While both Belfast and Bel-chan affirmed one another about their intentions to continue giving their work their very best, the two also realized something else: that they were having such a good time that they actually forgot to keep on cleaning.

 

It’s always a good idea to have a friendly rivalry, but they couldn’t allow for it to actually interfere with their everyday work.

 

「Well then, if you would excuse us, Your Highness. There are still dirty dishes that are in the need of cleaning.」

 

With Belfast saying those words, it also served to remind Elizabeth that she also had her respective responsibilities to attend to.

 

「Y-Yes, that’s right…… Actually, I also have a whole lot of paperwork waiting for me to get done. I can’t actually participate in those Halloween festivities from the very beginning, but I should be able to join before they will be over. You can be sure that I will get all the work done before it will be the time for sweets to be served, so be sure to wait for me with that!」

 

After that, Elizabeth went back to her private chambers while saying things like “It will be okay!” and “Absolutely!” over and over again, while both Belfast and Bel-chan saw her off.

 

「Well then, shall we also begin on our part?」

 

「Yes, let’s do just that, Belfast-nee-sama!」

 

With Her Majesty finally gone, Belfast and Bel-chan were able to resume their cleaning without any further interruption.

* * *

After less than fifteen minutes, the two managed to return all the dirty dishes back to the kitchen.

 

When the two returned back to the kitchen, just inside the scalary, several maids were washing a large amount of dishes, covered in hot water and washing soap.

 

The rest of the maids were using that time to clean the kitchen floor, and the whole room was filled with nothing more but the sound of cleaning tools being fast and hard at work.

 

「Oh my? What’s this?」

 

At that time, Suffolk just looked at the assignment book and tilted her head and let out a strange voice.

 

「Aren’t we on the kitchen duty all day again?」

 

It was Edinburgh, a Light Cruiser of the Town Class and Belfast’s older sister that managed to give her the answer to that question.

 

She came towards the front of the cooking tables from behind Suffolk’s back, a bowl of cake dough resting firmly in her hands while she was working its contents without a break. 

 

「Today, most of the other duties are going to be in my, Bel and Bel-chan’s hands. Aside from that, you, Kent, and Sheffield are in charge of waiting in the kitchen and taking care of whatever matter might need resolving.」

 

「In other words, you need someone who would serve as the curator for that pumpkin cake.」

 

Belfast added a supplement to her sister’s explanation.

 

「Of course, the chores that we are going to be taking care of are going to be in parallel with the cake-making duty. That was always the intention here, from the very start. That is also why I thought it might be a good idea for some members of the team to stay in the kitchen at all times to monitor things.」

 

「–––––– We really need that many people to be able to keep things under control and be able to make it in time, huh?」

 

Sheffield said so while puffing her lips slightly, coming right next to Edinburgh with slender elegance. 

 

「I would also like to be on the cleaning duty if possible, believe me.」

 

In the hand of the maid, there was already her very special and personal mop that she was always using to clean.

 

For Sheffield, this situation would be something completely unexpected and extraordinary, to be relegated from her usual duties. It was only a matter of course that she would feel confused and at a loss.

 

Belfast then turned towards Sheffield with an apologetic look on her face, lowering her head in a deep bow before her fellow maid.

 

「I am really sorry for that, Sheffy. But from what I could see before the breakfast was served, there is hardly a better choice for someone who could see to it that other maids are going to perform their duties properly……」

 

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