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Azur Lane: Episode of Belfast Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 7

「I’m planning to go to that mountain in order to collect some materials for the wreaths after I get some rest once I get back from my mission…… Come to think of it, I am going to make a wreath to decorate the door of Her Majesty’s room, right? So those materials need to be of the highest possible quality. Anything half-baked simply won’t do it here……」

「But I’m sure that Her Majesty would be pleased with any kind of wreath, as long as it would have feeling put behind it……」

「We can’t. That’s the only thing that I absolutely cannot do.」

Warspite shook her head in denial of Belfast’s words.

「But, please bear in mind that there is a limit to what the wreaths can technically…… However, something novel, something that is both humorous, but at the same time witty…… I want to give Her Majesty a wonderful wreath that is worthy of her status as the leader of the entire Royal Navy!!」

「Well, but even if you say that, Warspite-sama……」

Belfast was honestly quite overwhelmed by the momentum at which Warspite was going with this conversation, but there was nothing that she could possibly do about it.

「Hmm? What’s wrong? Well, it’s only a given that a gift meant for Her Majesty cannot be an ordinary one! It must be both unique and filled with originality to the brim! …… And above all else, it must be something that I am going to be glad to give to Her Majesty, something I would like to even receive myself! I wonder if there is such a wonderful idea that we can make a reality in here?」

「B-but! Warspite-sama, I’m afraid that such marvelous ideas don’t come out of nowhere just like that ––––––」

Hearing that sudden remark coming from the mouth of the Head Maid, Warspite was taken aback for a moment.

「Hmm, I see, certainly……Yes, you might be right about that. Yeah, it might be power.」

Perhaps all of that strange tension that Warspite was being subjected to recently finally began to manifest itself as a severe mental exhaustion and stress that was affecting her better judgment.

「……I’m sorry for that sudden outburst like that. I will make sure that it won’t happen again. Well then, I am going to be best on my way.」

Said Warspite as if she was going to get away from here, but when she turned around and started walking away, Belfast saw that there was another seashell that was stacked in between the small parts of her body and rigging, this time around her foot for some mysterious reason.

She wondered just what kind of mission she had to take part in that allowed her to gather so many seashells while she was at it?

「Umm, Warspite-sama? There’s another seashell that is stuck to your foot and ––––––」

At that point, Belfast suddenly stopped in her tracks as if she just happened to realize something.

As she kept on looking at the seashell by Warspite’s foot, she also suddenly remembered a strange kind of wreath that she had seen in some book that she happened to be browsing a while ago.

「On my foot? What’s on my foot? What are you talking about…… Ahh!」

Warspite then looked back at her feet and picked up the seashell while letting out an annoyed sigh.

「How come a seashell found it way even into a place like that, huh……?」

「Warspite-sama, how about using those shells as a form of decoration?」

Hearing Belfast’s suggestion, Warspite showed a truly bewildered expression.

「Huh? Decoration? A decoration for what exactly? What are seashells even good for?」

「Why, the Seashell wreath of course.」

「Seashell wreath? Is there even such a thing in the first place?」

Warspite tilted her head to the side in visible puzzlement.

「I’ve only seen it in a book before, but it’s about wreaths made out of various seashells and coral fragments. The problem is finding a place to pick up a whole lot of both shells and especially coral pieces…… But since we have the Christmas season right around the corner, if we do manage to find them and create the wreath out of them, it would surely be something that no one else was able to come up with here!」

When Belfast said so, Warspite’s face, which had a blank expression on it until not all that while ago, suddenly regained all of its vitality and sharpness.

「Hmm, I see……Shell wreath, huh? Shell wreath…… Yes, I like the sound of that! Sounds like a plan!」

「Well then, I will try to find out if there is a place nearby where we can easily collect both the seashells and the coral pieces.」

In order to preserve the natural ecosystem of the waters around the Home Port, it was necessary for the two of them to take procedures to obtain official permission when picking up not only coral but also seashells. But if they were to go through all the official channels and the necessary paperwork, they would never be able to make it in time. But even so, they had to try. So, Belfast was about to make her way to the Administration Building in the main Home Port, when suddenly,

「If it’s a place like that that we are looking for, then I think I know just the right one that should do the trick here.」

For some reason Warspite said that with a really confident smile on her face.

* * *

After getting permission to leave the port for some “fishing” from the Administration Building, Belfast hurriedly prepared to move across the sea and headed for the pier once again.

「Looks like you are all ready. Well then, please follow right after me.」

Following Warspite, who was waiting for Belfast to obtain all the necessary permissions, the two Royal Navy shipgirls departed towards their destination immediately.

As the two speeded up so as not to lose sight of their target, droplets of water fell on top of their skin and uniforms, and their noses filled with the salty smell of sea water.

The uninhabited island that Warspite happened to find earlier was much closer to the Home Port than Belfast had previously imagined, so close that you could easily call this excursion a short trip, which was all the more surprising. After leaving the port and moving on the sea for a while, there was a deserted island on their right, and it seems that it was a blind spot because it was located directly behind that other deserted island.

「In the summer, a lot of school children would flock to that island. There is a rare coral reef located there, so I think it must be because of that.」

「But since it’s winter now, no one should be there, so we should have no problem with obtaining some corals.」

The place that they could see right in front of them was the coast with the coral reef on it, so the two shipgirls immediately found a small sandy beach on which they landed, and from there they started to explore the nearby area.

[That’s quite a number of corals right there.」

Not only corals, but the area was also quite literally littered with various kinds of seashells.

「You can even find quite a number of starfish if you were able to look really close.」

Warspite picked one up from the beach and shows it to Belfast.

「It looks like a bone fragment.」

「Sure looks like it. Let’s take it home.」

Just like that, the two managed to collect all sorts of other things.

About 10 minutes later, Warspite raised her head after collecting shells and corals.

「Speaking of which, don’t you want to give a presents to someone yourself, Belfast?」

Belfast answers as soon as she picked up the brightly colored coral piece that she found.

「I am actually thinking of decorating the kitchen with Christmas-like decorations for the rest of the maids. But at the current moment I can’t really prepare all that much……」

As she stood up, Belfast gave a troubled smile.

「The shells and corals here are also suitable materials for Christmas decorations, but I can only think of plain decorations myself.」

「Then what about a Christmas tree?」

Warspite stopped as if she just had an idea.

「Actually, I was thinking of putting up a Christmas tree as well. There is even a small tree in my room, but since I never actually had the time to properly decorate it, it is still there, unused. Would you like to use that one?」

「But…… Is that really alright? After all, it’s your tree. 」

When Belfast asked her that, Warspite simply shrugged her shoulders.

「Of course I don’t mind. I’m getting help from you right now, after all.」