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Azur Lane: Episode of Belfast Volume 4 Chapter 1 Part 11

After repeating that exact process a couple more times alongside their way, the two shipgirls finally arrived at the first room.

All the dirty laundry that was supposed to be taken from the rooms was placed in a basket near the doors, and they would receive them in exchange for fresh sheets and carpets and other items before returning to the corridor with what they got.

And then they would simply go to another room, doing the same procedure all over again. And so on and so forth.

After going around several rooms in the exact same fashion,

「Ah. Edinburgh-san, Edinburgh-san. How about some interview right about now?」

The two of them were just passing by Suffolk, who was going somewhere to perform her own chores and duties.

「Well, I am just doing what I usually do, so it’s not actually something I would call interview-worthy or anything like that……」

Echo then shook her head as Edinburgh answered her suggestion.

「That’s not true, Edinburgh-san, and you know it! Echo is really impressed with the swiftness and precision with which you are performing your duties. Especially during that time when you were all making the preparations for breakfast! To me, it seemed as if you were having you eyes and ears just about everywhere all at once!」

「If a person like that really did exist, they would surely be some sort of a demon or apparition rather than a normal person.」

In response to Echo’s exaggerated remark, Edinburgh gave her a vague smile.

「Oh my, Edinburgh-san, you are so humble, you~.」

Seeing the exchange between the two, Suffolk burst out laughing all of a sudden.

「Oh, how I envy you, Edinburgh-san. I would also like to be adored by a cute little girl like Echo-chan~. Come on, don’t be shy! Just give it a try!」

「Yes, yes, I love —— Hey! Geez! Suffolk, you dummy!」

「Uwaaah! This won’t do! This won’t do at all! Back to work, need to get back to work!」

「Hey! Stop it, you! Don’t you try to run away! Get back here!」

Just when Edinburgh was about to run and give chase after the fleeing Suffolk,

「Kyah!」

Before she even managed to realize it, the part of the dirty bed sheet she was holding onto was hanging down from her arms and managed to get stuck against her feet.

「Uwah! Watch out!」

Edinburgh quickly tugged at the hem of her clothes when Echo looked like she was about to fall to the floor. Thanks to that action, she managed to regain her posture at the last possible moment and avoid falling.

「A-Are you okay?」

When Echo asked Edinburgh that question while approaching her in a hurry, Edinburgh coughed in response.

「S-Say, Echo? Can I ask you something really quick?」

She was meaning to do that for a while now, but she figured out that now would be the best time possible.

She thought that now would be the best moment to tell Echo that in reality she was really clumsy and ditzy, and that there was nothing all that admirable about her.

Edinburgh slowly opened her mouth as she lifted her glasses on top of her nose.

「You see, that incident just now…… That is the real me. …… I am someone who is actually really clumsy and who constantly makes mistakes. I am by no means someone who is worthy of being respected by you.」

「Huh?」

Unsurprisingly, Echo seemed to be at a loss for words for a moment.

「And the things that I was doing during breakfast preparation time? Pretty much anyone can do it, and even better than me, if they would work in the kitchen for long enough. Rather, instead of me, both Bel and Sheffi are much better at commanding the other maids and giving them precise instructions and directions than I am.」

And besides, she wanted to say something, but something cut her off.

「And besides…… And besides, I……」

Edinburgh did not really wanted to say those words herself, but there was actually no helping it this time around.

So Edinburgh made up her mind and steeled her resolve.

「And…… I am actually a really bad girl who constantly oversleeps and causes trouble for my little sister, only adding to her already huge pile of work……」

As Edinburgh was saying that, she covered her face in her hands, as if she was trying to hide from all the embarrassment those words were creating..

「And you know? There is not a single day that would go by without me actually breaking a plate or two while washing the dishes after a meal! ……And I have an incredible track record of falling down and tripping for no apparent reason like I did just now!」

While she was saying all that, a certain thought occurred inside of Edinburgh’s head. Putting it that way, she was making herself look like a really bad person in general.

She did not want to do this, but she had no other choice. But that did not mean that she did not try to become better at the things she was doing.

B-But anyways! I am a no good person! To tell you the truth, I personally think that I do not even deserve to be called an older sister! Bel deserves that title so much more than I do!」

She did not want to raise her voice like that, but she still ended up doing just that.

「B-but! Even if I am a no good person like this, I hope…… I hope that at the very least you won’t end up hating me because of that!」

After Edinburgh screamed those last few words out loud, she went silent. What followed was a moment of complete silence. And then,

「…… Yes, I realize that?」

The words returned by Echo were so truly cliched.

「……… Huh?」

For a moment out there Edinburgh was unable to comprehend what Echo just said to her, so Echo decided to repeat her words. This time around, Edinburgh would hopefully be able to keep up.

「Like! I! Said! Echo knows! Echo knows it all! That Edinburgh-san is a clumsy person! That Edinburgh-san is a sleepyhead! And that Edinburgh-san tends to be a crybaby ever so often!」

「I don’t actually remember going that far with my rant, did I!?」

However, she would never be able to actually deny those words, because they were pretty much an established fact at this point..

「But even so! I think that the way with which you handled breakfast preparations was truly amazing today! You said that anyone can do it provided that they work in the kitchen for long enough, but Edinburgh-san! You are so talented that you can act as the Head Maid in times of need! Belfast-san told me that herself!」

「H-Huh!? B-Bel told you that!?」

「Yes! She most certainly did! Even if you are clumsy! Even if you yourself cannot see it! Echo respects you so much, Edinburgh-san, because you are so kind and considerate. Remember, Edinburgh-san? How kindly you reached out to me when Echo was lost in the Home Port? Or how you adjusted your pace to my own so that we could walk together? How did you show me around and explained various things to me?」

Edinburgh could only involuntarily stare at Echo with a blank expression on her face.

「I-Is that so? You really think that I am that much of a considerate person? Really now?」

「Yes! I think that you are like a mother in many aspects!」

「Couldn’t you just say ‘Big Sister’ here instead of ‘Mother’!? Now you make me feel old!」

Edinburgh was suddenly attacked by a feeling of weakness after giving Echo that slightly overly vigorous retort.

「Haah… I feel like a fool for being so excited about this for a second out there.」

It was then that Edinburgh recalled her talk with Belfast when the both of them were heading back to the Home Port after the accomplished mission.

—— I think that you actually misunderstand here, Nee-san. For you see, that girl really has her eyes on you. She sees you for who you are.

「Ah……」

She then raised her face involuntarily.

She wondered for a moment if that was what Belfast might have meant at that time.

Just that thought alone seemed so amusing to Edinburgh that she could not help it but to burst out laughing.

「I guess that you were right, Bel. I might have been way too pessimistic here. I guess that just being myself is what suits me best, in the end.」

「…… Hm? As for me, Echo always knew what you truly were, Edinburgh-san. So watching you try so hard was also really amusing.」

Hearing that remark once again, Edinburgh hid her face in her hands again, the embarrassment being simply too much for her to handle. She then started laughing, but it was hard to tell if it was from amusement or out of sheer desperation.