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Azur Lane: Episode of Belfast Volume 3 Chapter 1 Part 6

Ajax was the last one to one to say that and then she laughed cheerfully..

「Personally, I am satisfied as long as we managed to place higher than Exeter-senpai, you know?」

She was also the one who stood with the hem of Neptune’s apron dress slightly pinched in her fingers.

『Wah, I don’t feel responsible at all, and I’m not lying, I’m telling you!』

「Having said all that, your eyes are filled with tears of frustration, you know? Not very convincing, all things considered.」

「N-No, they are not! Not a single tear has come out of my eyes!」

Neptune vehemently opposes Ajax’s smug words.

In fact, she knew perfectly well that she was just being mercilessly teased here. Because her emotions were nowhere near the level of wanting to cry at the current moment. They did not shift there even a single millimeter.

In the end, that day when the three Leander Class Light Cruisers caught her and forcefully roped her into taking part in the Pancake Race, was deeply etched into Neptune’s memory. Especially since she was also forced to take that commemorative photo with them as a memento.

Ever since that day, Neptune has been less and less alone throughout her days.

Because she always had those three Leander-Class shipgirls by her side ——

While reminiscing about her past like that, Neptune, who had taken off her usual outfit, crouched and stared blankly at the waves crashing against the shoreline.

「……It’s been an entire year since that time, huh?」

It was the day after she went and casually declared war on Belfast and the entire Maid Corps.

This was the coast of an island several kilometers away from the Home Port island. The island was going to be the first checkpoint in the Pancake Race, and she came here today to see and research the course beforehand.

「Seriously now…… where has my solitary image gone, for crying out loud?」

「What are you talking about all of a sudden?」

The one who asked her that question was Leander, who was right beside her for some reason, as she tilted her head curiously.

「I was just remembering how you guys forced me to be an anchor during that Pancake Race last year.」

「Forced you…… that’s actually a little bit rude of a thing to say, wouldn’t you agree?」

Leander’s eyes widened in surprise, as if she could not believe what she was hearing.

Then, as Ajax was passing right behind her, she said to Neptune:

「But admit it: you were actually crying at that time, weren’t you?」

「For the last time: I. WAS. NOT. CRYING!!!」

Even if she objected so strongly, Ajax’s only response was that she sat down on the rock with a completely indifferent look on her face.

And crossing her legs clad in a pair of black tights, she stared at Neptune with a really nasty smug smile on her face.

「Fufu. My oh my, no need to deny that so strongly. It was only meant to be a light joke, you know?」

At that moment Neptune wanted to open her mouth and say something in retort, but she managed to hold herself from doing that at the last possible moment..

Because she realized that, as per usual, Ajax was just trying to make fun of her and enjoy some of her over-the-top reactions..

「But…… While we are still on the subject, Neptune-san. It looks like it’s going to be really tough to beat the Maid Corps this year as well!」

Since Achilles was the only one who was ahead of the rest of the group, she had to shout really loud at her comrades so that they would be able to hear her properly. But after that she said that she was going to check if there were any crabs on the nearby coral reef, and once she was gone there, she would not come back for a while.

Even so, Neptune was strangely impressed that she could accurately hear their entire conversation from way up ahead like that.

「You say that the Maid Corps’ team only has two maids in it. But even so, those maids are none other than Belfast-san and Newcastle-san, right? So in the end, I feel like no matter what we are going to do, we won’t be any match for them at all.」

「Yes, I am aware of that. And trust me, this isn’t something that I would simply overlook.」

Hearing Achilles’ words, Neptune jumped to her feet right away.

「Since I was intrigued by the other two who would join the Maid Corps’ team, I did some research on them as well. The other two are Fiji-san and Jamaica-san, and as you would expect from someone chosen by the lottery, both of them seem to have no prior experience when it comes to the Pancake Race.」

「Huh, that’s actually surprising. I was sure that people like them would actually have experience, all things considered.」

As Achilles shouted in the distance, Neptune nodded her head exaggeratedly.

「Last year, we finished in second place while going against the Maid Corps’ team. Isn’t that right? And the difference between us and them was so huge that calling it a landslide victory would be a complete understatement. And even though they are going to have inexperienced people around for this year, scoring a victory against them won’t be easy, wouldn’t you agree?」

「I would honestly be surprised if it was going to be easy.」

Leander said that while smiling wryly.

「Yes. And that is exactly why I have a certain request that I would like to ask of the three of you.」

「A request?」

「Yes. Last year you three pretty much forced me to participate in the race, so this year you’re going to go along with my wish, right?」

With the exception of Achilles, who was far away, Leander and Ajax looked at each other as if having some doubts about that matter..

But even so, Neptune seemed to be in pretty high spirits as there was a confident smile present on her face.

「Oh? Is that how it is? Imagine that.」

Leander said that to Neptune while tugging at her side with her elbow.

Having spent a year together with those girls, Neptune has become accustomed to these kinds of conversations with the three of them.

Neptune got along so well with the three of the Leander Class’s Light Cruisers that it seemed as if they were of the same ship class, even though they were actually quite different.

At that moment, Ajax let out a big sigh that seemed to be a theatrical act.

「Oh well, I guess it can’t really be helped. If you’re begging us to help you, who are we to refuse?」

「…… That’s a rather unbelievably convoluted way of looking at it.」

「But you’d better be prepared to give us a fitting reward if you want us to put the extra effort into it.」

Ajax slowly pointed her finger to the side where Neptune was sitting.

「Let’s see…… I guess that for now the contents of that box of yours will have to suffice.」

Neptune, feeling disappointed, picks up the lunch box that she prepared for herself in advance and passes it over.

「Goodness gracious…… And it took a whole lot of time and effort to make this, you know?」

While muttering to herself, Neptune unfolded the contents of the box.

What came out was a homemade new cake that the three of them wanted to eat, so she made it, but she really wanted them to praise her for being able to carry it all the way here without breaking it. That would certainly improve her mood by quite a bit.

「I have even brought some wet towels here, so let’s all wipe our hands properly before eating.」

Leander said so, and turned back to Achilles who was supposedly still at the reef nearby.

「Huh? Achilles? Where are you?」

Hearing that voice just now, it made Neptune turn her head in the same direction where others were facing.

Then, Achilles, who should have been there right beside them just now, completely disappeared.

「Seriously, how far has she gone ahead of us?」

When Leander opened her mouth in order to complain while others swallowed hard on their saliva, all of a sudden Achilles’ head popped up from the nearby reef.

「——Hey hey! There are two maids on the beach over there!! it looks like they must have had the same idea as us! They must have come here to check the course of the race out beforehand!」

Neptune’s movements suddenly stopped when she shouted out, “The maid squad number one.”

「If you’d like, let’s invite those two over and have a cake together, what do you say to that?! When you are eating cakes, it’s always better to eat them with a group of friends!」