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Azur Lane: Episode of Belfast Volume 3 Chapter 2 Part 6

「Even though you say that, something easier is actually……」

While they were both having such a conversation, Aurora suddenly beckoned them.

「Both of you, please come over here for a moment.」

Not knowing what to do, they headed towards the direction Aurora beckoned them to.

There was a rectangular wood planter with a round basin right next to her. There were several seeds, bulbs, and fertilizers in the basin, and a small note stuck in between.

「Huh? A memo? From whom it might even be…… Ah! It’s from the Head Maid!」

Apparently, the memo was written by Belfast herself.

Kent immediately read the contents of the memo.

「Hmm, let’s see, let’s see…… “To Kent & Suffolk. This planter here was arranged by myself personally. It might be small, but you can use it however you see fit. Added to this note, you will find a variety of different seeds and saplings for you to use. So, please raise them on your own and use it as an opportunity to learn the joys of gardening to your hearts’ content.”

Looking at it really closely, they could see that the seeds and bulbs were all marked with small symbols and names, indicating what kind of flowers they were.

「Look, there are vegetables here too – tomatoes, cucumbers, and even more!」

Suffolk, who had been looking all pained and unmotivated until just now, smiled happily upon realizing that.

「When all the other necessary work is done, shall we plant them together here?」

After Aurora said so, she instructed the two of them to continue tending the flower bed from earlier.

「Now then, Kent, Suffolk. I want the both of you to keep on watering the plants, just like I showed you earlier. Think you can do that?」

「Ahh, umm…… Yes, a-about that……」

When Suffolk shyly raised her hand up and mumbled those words, Kent opened her mouth first and beat Suffolk to the punch with her question.

「Aurora-san, it seems like Suffolk won’t be able to keep up with watering the plants and flowers for much longer here!」

「Kent, that was unnecessary of you! Umm, it’s not like that, Aurora-san! It’s just that, umm, ahh…… how should I even say this……?」

「Ara, so that’s how it is, huh? I think I understand.」

Aurora thought there for a moment and said to Suffolk, who was looking at Kent really resentfully with tears welling up inside of her eyes..

「Well then, I guess that Suffolk-san can go and pick some of the flower stalks in the meantime.」

「Picking up flower stalks? What’s that supposed to mean?」

Aurora then smiled gently as she assumed the position where she would be able to present Suffolk with a proper example of what she wanted her to do here.

「You see that part of the flower right here? Once it is finished blooming, we use those scissors right there to cut it off from the stem and collect it. As to why we are doing that in the first place…… If we don’t pick up the flowers that have already bloomed, they might affect the other flowers that are going to bloom on a later date and make them unable to do so. You may not know this, but truth to be told, this exact period of the year is the time when us gardeners are especially busy.」

「Hmm, I see.」

Nodding her head in admiration, Suffolk tried to do exactly what Aurora demonstrated to her a moment ago..

While looking at Suffolk at work from time to time, Kent continued on with the watering duty, making sure to do both hers and Suffolk’s share of the work while she was being at it.

「But I must really say, those roses that you look after are so pretty and beautiful, Aurora-san.」

Several times along the way, Suffolk stopped her work to talk to Aurora about her flowers.

Kent did not care all that much about it at first, but after a while she looked at Suffolk and saw that she had not made much progress in picking the flower stalks at all.

「Hey, Suffolk! Less talking and more working, why don’t you! At this rate you won’t be able to make any progress at all!」

「I-I know! I know that, geez!」

When Kent scolded Suffolk for slacking off with her duties, Suffolk puffed out her cheeks and returned to her work, looking all agitated and mad at Kent. But not long after that she stopped once again to gaze at the sky way above her head.

「Ahhh~…… The sky is blue again today…… And the clouds are all fluffy and look like cotton candy to me」

「Suffolk!」

「Uuuhhh, geez, I know! I know already!」

The no-nonsense Kent could only stare in amazement at Suffolk who was about ready to fly away into her own fantasy zone at what seemed to be a moment’s notice now..

However, when it comes to Suffolk she had a nasty tendency to daydream during work and lack the necessary concentration to do her chores seriously.

Not to mention that she was unable to stay devoted to one thing for long, and even if she was able to do that, she was getting so easily distracted that it was almost scary.

Normally, Kent would understand how Suffolk’s mind would work and she would be able to steer her on the path of the proper work, but for today Kent had no leeway with the unfamiliar gardening work, hence her being more stern with Suffolk than usual.

「Fight, Suffolk! It’s no good to daydream like that! We have to concentrate! We have work to do! And see! I’m working properly as well!」

Kent then vigorously raised both of her hands to clear away my gloomy mood that was beginning to seep right into her, and then she resumed her work with even more vigor.

And once the both of them were done with their share of work, they picked up the seeds that were in the small basin earlier, and they proceeded to plant them into the ground as they saw fit.

And after that task was done, Kent once more made a run to the watering hole to fill the watering can with fresh water, since that thing was becoming empty in no time.

* * *

「Great work, you two. Just a little bit more. Please do your best.」

Aurora’s gentle voice echoes in both Kent and Suffolk’s ears.

「…… Nmuuh, first Kent, and now Aurora-san! One person telling me to work is more than enough! Besides, I can do my work properly without being encouraged like that!」

Grabbing the pair of gardening scissors firmly in her hands, Suffolk leaned over the flower bed to proceed with her work.

「Alright, here it goes…… There! You see? Told you that I can do it properly if I try!」

After finishing with one flower, Suffolk stepped back and started working on the next flower.

「Once this is done, let us choose the seeds to plant in the planter. Kent does not know much about flowers in the first place, so you should be looking forward to learning how to do this properly, Suffolk-san.」

Just being able to imagine that was more than enough to make Suffolk all happy and cause her to giggle slightly under her nose.

「Even though it is strictly work here, it’s great that we can do whatever we want with that planter.」

While Suffolk was all excited about what to plant in there in particular, she finished picking up the flowers just as she was told to.

「This should be the end. It was not easy, but it was overall really enjoyable…… Huh? What’s that?」

All of a sudden, Suffolk could hear a buzzing sound ringing right next to her ear.

「W-Woah!? No way! I-Is that an insect!?」

When she looked up at her face, Suffolk could see that there was a whole bunch of small insects swarming all around her.

「W-Waaahhhh!!! Go away! Go away, bugs-san! Go aaawwwaaayyy!!!」

While being assaulted by bugs like that, Suffolk involuntarily dropped her scissors and stood up, swinging her arms around like mad, all so that she could chase all of the insects away.

「Ah!」

But unfortunately, while swinging her arms, Suffolk came across Kent’s elbow as she bumped right into her. The watering can, which Kent had just refilled with fresh water, flew in the air as Kent lost her balance and flipped over.

「Waaahhh!!! I-I’m so sorry, Kent!」

With her face pale in horror, Suffolk put her hands together while apologizing to Kent who was still sitting on the ground.

Meanwhile, Kent’s white apron dress was all soaking wet around the area of her chest.

「I’m really, really sorry…… Um, are you okay?」

「…… Yeah, I’m alright, I’m okay.」

Kent looked down in amazement at the droplets of water dripping from her skirt.