The Abandoned White Magician’s Tea Life

Translator: Sunnyshies

Editor: Ryuubii

Chapter 33: A Maiden’s Tale (2)

“Leonardo is just my childhood friend. Yugo also seemed to miss Leonardo though, so I don’t blame you for thinking that he’s Yugo’s father.”

“That’s right. But… I was surprised when I first saw Leonardo-san!”

“Surprised?”

“Yes! You know, the men in Polk, they have nice muscles, but they’re a little rough and don’t seem to have a sense of delicacy, right? Amalia has been called out before, hasn’t she?”

When Eva pointed it out with her eyes fixed on her, Amalia thought of that time.

There’s this man, whose sprained ankle she had treated before, and the other day, he called her―strictly speaking, they received the call, but shortly after, Yugo had a stomach ache and they were unable to make it.

Yugo often goes out to play by himself and comes back after eating his prey. The other day, however, he apparently ate a potentially poisonous snake and said, “My stomach hurts. Mom, stay here,” he begged with tears in his eyes.

The next day, she and Yugo went to politely apologize to him.

‘He told me not to worry about it, but thinking back, he looked a little pale. Maybe I should offer him a cup of tea if he ever comes back for treatment.’

…Amalia told her what happened, but for some reason, Eva looked away and muttered, “…oh, that guy is hopeless.”

“…let’s not talk about me. Does Eva like people who are like Leonardo?”

She had tea with Eva several times before, but this was the first time she had heard her say something like that.

When she prodded her because of her curiosity, Eva smiled and drank her fruit tea.

“Yeah, because they’re smarter, kinder and better looking than the villagers. I thought mercenaries were supposed to be burly and macho like the guy who took Flora, but I guess not. He looks like a prince.”

Flora is Eva’s childhood friend. It seems that she and the mercenary were in a love marriage, but even so, Eva didn’t like the idea of a “mercenary” because he suddenly showed up and snatched her best friend out of her life.

It was true that most of the mercenaries Amalia had seen at the guild were large men, both in height and build. They were unlike the adventurers who can freely accept requests and travel around. Leonardo might be among the unique individuals among mercenaries who usually only have one ability.

“A prince…huh.”

“Yeah, yeah!… and Amalia said that Leonardo-san is only her childhood friend, so I thought I had a chance. That’s what I thought!”

“But?”

“…what kind of childhood friends are you! You guys went out together all the time, you talked very happily, and even casually held hands!”

Snap! Amalia almost dropped her cup when Eva pointed a finger at her.

“You know, it’s just like… taking me out for shopping, talking about old times, or helping me out on my bad footing―”

“No, no, no, you know what, if you were just childhood friends, you wouldn’t be giving off such a sweet vibe! I’m not sure about you, but the way Leonardo-san looks at you… how to describe it? It’s so sweet and gentle. It’s like he’s looking at the girl he loves so much! He had eyes like that! Haven’t you noticed?”

“…”

To be honest, she already had a hunch about that.

She had thought that the way Leonardo looked at her was something like respect and admiration. In fact, as a child, he had looked up to Amalia like an older sister, and someone he missed.

But since they met again, he felt somewhat different from when he was a child. He would look at her with red cheeks, or he would narrow his eyes sadly, or he would suddenly tighten his expression as he approached her.

‘However, if I misunderstood, that would be shameful. And I don’t want people to think that I’m some kind of perverted woman who sees a child she once changed underwear for with that kind of eyes, so I thought I was imagining things―’

Amalia gently put her hands on her chest. She kept the amulet Leonardo had given her in a small box in her bedroom, but for Amalia, the act of placing her hand on her chest had become something like a spell to calm herself down.

“…It’s not that I haven’t noticed it, though.”

“Ho?”

“Well, I don’t know how to classify the feelings I have for Leonardo. There’s a lot of things that need consideration, like worldly status and position… also, I have never felt this way before, so I wasn’t sure.”

“What, this is your first time?”

“Yeah… ah.”

By the time Amalia realized what had happened, it was too late.

The expression on Eva’s face was gone, and her hands seemed to be shaking.

It’s not so strange for a mere woman in 20s to experience “this kind of feeling”― that is, being conscious of someone of the opposite gender for the first time.

However, Amalia has a son (acting) named Yugo. If you have a son, it means you have a man with whom you once had a relationship with.

And yet, she said that this is the first time she had been aware of the opposite gender.

‘W-well, this is bad.’

Amalia gulped down the warm tea in one gulp, trying to soothe the cold sweat running down her body.

Eva’s movements matched hers, and she, too, drank the remaining tea in one gulp, then raised her eyebrows.

“…you don’t need to tell everyone about it, Amalia.”

“No, I mean―”

“We know that you have your own situation. That’s why I won’t tell anyone about what I just heard. Not even my dad or Bruno.”

“Thank you, Eva―”

“…oh, my god! I can’t believe it! A man who just threw away a wonderful person like Amalia is absolutely not worthy of you!”

Argg! Eva howled and began to forcefully explain the situation to a puzzled Amalia.

“Amalia, Yugo is a very nice boy, that’s why you don’t have to defend his old man! Yugo is smart because his mother is a good mother! Amalia has been through so much, she deserves to get a good man this time and make sure he provides for her!”

“Uh, yeah…?”

“That’s why I think Leonardo is the perfect choice! I’m sorry, but there is no way I can beat Amalia! She’s much prettier, a better cook, and has bigger breasts!”

“…I’m not sure about that last one.”

…come to think of it, Amalia’s late mother, despite her ascetic status as a nun in a convent, had a very voluptuous body. Amalia always liked burying her face in her chest as she hugged her.

“What are you talking about? Aren’t they part of your charm! So, why don’t you get Leonardo-san as soon as possible? If he can take care of the child you had with another man, he’s a pretty good deal. If Amalia doesn’t get him, then I want him.”

“Eh… that is―”

“That is?”

Eva asked in a mean way.

Unable to look her in the face, Amalia turned her head.

――She imagined it for a moment.

She saw Leonardo leaving her and Yugo to marry Eva.

‘…my chest, it hurts.’

“…yeah, that… might be quite frustrating… maybe.”

“Yeah, that’s true, isn’t it? You guys are both in love with each other, no matter how you look at it.”

“Mutual love?”

“Oh, don’t worry about it now… Ha-a~ Me, I just want to get married early and give birth to a lot of cute babies.”

Eva said in a prolonged voice, and plopped down on the table, flapping her hands up and down.