Volume 4 - Chapter 28.2

Chapter 28.2
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[Subaru: You look energetic this morning]
[Garfiel: I should be th’one sayin’ that . The hell are ya doin’ showin’ up here first thing in the mornin? Y’tryin’ to piss me off? Oy!]
Subaru raised his hand a little to say hi, and Garfiel, looking annoyed, opened one of his eyes and spat this back . Seeing that expected reaction, Subaru dropped down his hand again, and turned to the petite figure―― Lewes, standing beside the cross-legged Garfiel .
[Subaru: I figured Garfiel would be here, but I didn’t expect to find Lewes-san here as well . Good morning]
[Lewes: Mnn, it is a nice morning . Is Su-bo out for a stroll too?]
[Subaru: I guess you can call it that, but it’s not as pleasant as it sounds . I came here full of hopes, you know, but also to annoy Garfiel]
[Garfiel: You……]
Seeing blue veins pop up on Garfiel’s forehead, and Subaru just pretending not to notice his reaction, Lewes tilted her head . Then,
[Subaru: You said “too” just now, does that mean Lewes-san’s out for a stroll too?]
[Lewes: The stroll’s just an added bonus for me . Last night I heard Gar-bo hadn’t come home and was just going to sit out here on the ground…… So I wanted to see how he’s doing]
Lewes said this while playing with her long, pink wavy hair with a finger . In her other hand, she was holding a little package, which, judging from its size and shape, must be packing some simple food inside . Most likely, that was the stubborn not-gonna-move Garfel’s breakfast .
Suddenly, Subaru touched a hand to his chin and looked at the two in turn,
[Subaru: Then, Garfiel and Lewes-san, have you guys known each other for a long time?]
[Lewes: Ever since Gar-bo was little, at least…… Well, he’s still little]
[Garfiel: Oy, Granny . I’ve already way overtaken your height here]
[Lewes: And you still haven’t grown any taller like you’re supposed to . Anyways, we’ve been together since he was a lot smaller than he is now . I’ve even found myself growing used to these exchanges]
Even with Garfiel’s protests, Lewes seemed to accept them without paying them much mind . Underneath what seemed to be a little girl was indeed an old woman inside . A total Loli-Granny in every sense of the word .
However, having noticed something from what she said just now, Subaru raised up his brows,
[Subaru: From the way you said that…… was Garfiel not born inside the Sanctuary?]
[Garfiel: ……Don’t go pryin’ where y’don’t need to . Y’wanna be like “Sneak attackin’ the black Botokku only t’get killed instead”?]
[Subaru: Yeah that didn’t really communicate at all so there’s not much stopping power there . So, Lewes-san, tell me the answer, if you please!]
Seeing Subaru intent on completely ignoring last night’s warning, Garfiel ground his teeth so hard that they were almost starting to make a noise . But Subaru ignored that too and kept trying to get to the bottom of it .
Looking back and forth at what was going on between the two men, Lewes spilled out a tired sigh, and,
[Lewes: It was ten and something years ago when Gar-bo came to the Sanctuary . Back then, Gar-bo was still a lil’baby that couldn’t even walk yet . Ros-bo brought him along and……]
[Garfiel: ――Granny, don’t say anythin’ unnecessary beyond that]
Narrowing his eyes, Garfiel pressed down his voice as he said this .
Hearing this sent a chill into Subaru’s chest, and for a moment, he was afraid that he may have carelessly stepped on something he shouldn’t have . But,
[Lewes: Who’re you talking to with that kind of mouth, you dumbass!]
[Garfiel: Hurts!]
Striding forward impressively, Lewes reached out her hand and smacked the golden spiky-haired Garfiel right in the head . Under the little girl’s arms that didn’t seem all that strong, Garfiel hugged his head as if thunderbolts were dropping down on him, and, looking up at her like this,
[Garfiel: G-Granny what’re y’doin’ all of’a sudden……]
[Lewes: I should be asking you, after raising you up myself is that how you’re gonna speak to me? Just, shameful, embarrassing, so sad it makes me wanna cry . Take this! This! This!]
[Garfiel: Sto-, hurts, aow, watchin’, there’s someone watchin’!]
With “pok pok pok” sound effects, Lewes kept swinging her arm while Garfiel, looking like he wanted to crawl into a hole, tried to block her blows with his hand .
While watching those two going at it, Subaru almost couldn’t stop himself from laughing,
[Subaru: I think I’ve got a pretty good estimate of how long and deep your relationship is now . …… Garfiel, do you really plan to keep sitting here?]
[Garfiel: Unless there’s somethin’ else I need to do, I’m here t’stay . I wouldn’t want someone sneakin’ in while I’m away, now do I?]
Guarding against anyone sneaking in, even with Subaru trying to get him to let his guard down, Garfiel would not budge . Since Subaru wasn’t expecting too much, he wasn’t entirely discouraged . Rather, the fact that Garfiel had overturned his own words from only half a day ago meant there was probably a need for Subaru to revise his understanding of Garfiel .
But in any case, the fact that his stubbornness remained difficult to move hadn’t changed .
[Subaru: Come to think of it, doesn’t the Trial only take place at night? There’s no point for me to sneak in during the day anyway . Isn’t it kinda pointless to keep sitting here like this?]
[Garfiel: Yer wastin’ yer breath if y’think I’m gonna move . Wanna sneak in durin’ the day and wait for th’night, bankin’ on me not bein’ able to go in and then yer all set, yeah? Y’think I ain’t ready for a long fight? What, y’underestimatin’ me?]
[Subaru: Tch, I’ve been found out?]
Subaru held up both hands over his head to surrender, and, seeing him do this, Garfiel snorted, before looking up at Lewes,
[Garfiel: So, I can’t be movin’ from here for a while . Granny, food]
[Lewes: Is that the kind of attitude you take toward someone who went to all the trouble of bringing you food? Lamentable . Here]
Despite her complaints, Lewes handed him the parcel . And, taking it, Garfiel unwrapped the parcel and started filling himself up with the dumpling-like contents inside .
With Lewes helping him like this, it would seem the battle of wills could be a long one .
[Subaru: Looks like it’ll be hard to do anything for the moment……huh . Oh well, I’ll come back next time]
[Garfiel: Y’don’t have to come back y’know . I ain’t lettin’ ya through anyway . Y’might as well go sit quietly in a corner somewhere, yeah?]
Having finished eating, Garfiel licked his fingers and called out to Subaru, who was turning to leave . Subaru waved him goodbye without turning around, and Lewes followed along beside him .
[Lewes: Now that I’m done feedin’ Gar-bo, I want to talk to Su-bo for a bit]
[Subaru: What a coincidence . I have something I want to ask Lewes-san too . Though I really want to go see Emilia-tan’s face first, but……]
Looking up at the sky, he found that the Sun had only just risen .
He could still remember that on the first day after the beginning of the Trials, the exhausted Emilia will wake up around noon . He would have liked to follow his desires and go to see her face while she slept, but he should probably move forward with the other activities here instead .
Subaru cast a glance towards Lewes, observing the elderly little girl with pink wavy hair who was walking along beside him .
Her face seemed a little sleepy, and with wobbling little steps, she managed to keep up with his pace . Even knowing full well that she’s a Loli-Granny, there was still something that tickled the insides of his heart .
[Subaru: Want me to give you a piggyback ride?]
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