◇Lutie PoV――――――

It’s been a year since I’ve started living together with Toto-dono, and we have gradually become closer to each other.

Toto-dono was a bit awkward at the start, but gradually warmed up to me as we continued doing things together. We would also usually do our own stuff, so the awkward atmosphere didn’t really last that long, and we were able to welcome each other’s presence soon enough.

Unlike Toto-dono, I’m used to living with strangers because I grew up in an orphanage, so living together with her didn’t really bother me that much.

Toto-dono on the other hand is blessed with excellent personal connections, and has a strange charm that attracts similar people.

It seems like she is well liked by the knights as she always talks to Vanil Mirth-sama or Ansel-sama, which are the knight commander and the deputy commander. Besides that, even Sasuka-sama, who is the president of Sasuka Company, came to visit, which really surprised me.

Because I am in the position of her guardian and watcher, I too was allowed to attend their discussion, which apparently was about confirming the fine adjustments for an item bag that was to be made for Toto-dono’s personal use.

When I asked about the reason why the president of the company himself came to visit instead of just a craftsman, he answered:『There might be new ideas that I would be able to develop because of this, and it is really fun』.

Certainly, when it comes to Toto-dono, she sometimes acts way beyond her age, like an adult, despite being considerably younger than me, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if an interesting thought or idea suddenly popped out of her head.

Though there are also times when she acts weird, like when she’s talking to a wall…… and I do think that it’s better to leave her alone and ignore that, as if I never saw it happen at all.

I don’t think that this way of thinking would be any good, but if Toto-dono was an orphan, that calmness and daring attitude matching the adults thus not easily getting impatient, plus her good negotiation skills are something that merchants would fight over to acquire.

There were times when I felt like she’s too confident about something, but then she would always produce results of equal or more value than expected. It sometimes makes me wonder if I’m doing a good job as an observer, something that I usually contemplate about.

Toto-dono also seems capable of doing things on her own, and would often prepare the cooking utensils in the kitchen to cook some homemade food.

「IH, If have something like that, it would have been better」

She stood on a platform for her as she placed the frying pan on a heating device while murmuring those words. Though she looked frustrated about something, when she started cooking, she handled it so well that it made the anxiety I’ve had earlier feel like a lie. 

By the way, I wonder what that『ayetch』 she was mentioning about is.

After a while, she also asked for two thin rods of the same size to be prepared, to use them instead of thongs.

Toto-dono called it 『Saibashi』 but I’ve been wondering where she learned about that. Maybe it’s something commonly used in Toto-dono’s village.

I was also taught how to use it on various cooking methods and other purposes, but it was too difficult to use it on my own. Toto-dono is just too dexterous.

Speaking of dexterity, though Toto-dono is good at cooking, it seems she is no good when it comes to craftsmanship, because I witnessed her working endlessly on『Delivering Braids』 which was a quest that she took.

I did look at it and helped her a little, but it was a bit embarrassing since she thanked me a lot after we finished the task.

「Thanks! I wouldn’t have been able to finish it without help!」

I was also quite surprised when she suddenly grabbed my hand and said that, I could feel that she was really grateful, which made me really happy.

「Want to show my gratitude」

I smiled and accepted her gratitude, and then followed her to a place where she said she would offer me a reward.[ED: Taking this out of context is very dangerous]

　That’s right, at this year’s martial arts festival, Toto-dono won, becoming the grand champion once more and knocking down the adventurers who won the preliminary matches.

It seems like the adventurers who have reached her were definitely not weak, however they eventually lost without being able to damage Toto-dono.

I have also witnessed Toto-dono’s battle for the first time, but that absurd attack and defense is just foul play. For those who have heard of or knew about her did try to fight back, but those who have never heard of her couldn’t find any way to deal with such an opponent.

Also, even though I didn’t go there, it seems like active adventurers would label Toto-dono as 《Real S Rank》.

Real S Rank……It’s probably a compliment, though I don’t know from where such rumors started to circulate, and I’m a little worried about it.

The leader of a group said:『There’s no need for a watchman for her, because the information about her now circulates in the adventurer’s guild』, but that place is uncharted territory, though it’s a place that I am curious about, a little.

Right now, I am grateful to the knights, and I’m not really complaining about my work, but just like Toto-dono, I’d also like to go on an adventure someday.

「……oops, it seems like I’m going derailed out of topic」

　I remove the sheet of paper that I was writing on and put it in a place that is meant for disposal. I need to rewrite the contents around here.

「I’m home~」

Toto-dono came back just around the time that my concentration was lost, although that usually happens a lot, so I left my room to greet her.

「Welcome back, you’re a bit early today?」

「Nn, quest was no good, stopped」

To begin with, did she just returned after exchanging information with other adventurers, in the first place, I don’t even know what a『Good Quest』is like, and when I did visit the adventurer’s guild, I didn’t really get any idea about what they were doing.

The top she’s wearing is still the same short sleeved shirt from before, but wrapped around her sturdy pants is her tool bag, which makes Toto-dono look more like an adventurer now when walking the streets, compared to how she looked one year ago.

Though depending on the point of view, she would also pass as an《Apprentice Daughter of a Workshop》 due to how small, cute and cuddly she looks like.

「More than that, today, you busy?」

「Well, I don’t have anything else to do today, so I have some free time」

「Then, it’s been a while, shall we have a meal together?」

She just suddenly grabbed my hand and pulled me out of my room, and right now I am dressed not as usual but with my casual clothes. I am usually wearing armor even when I go out, and I would only secretly enjoy dressing up when I’m alone in my room, so what I’m wearing right now is a pink over-the-knee dress with a belt and short pants which I’ve bought before, and I’m too embarrassed to go out wearing such outfit.

「Are, what’s wrong?」

Toto-dono looks at me and tilts her head in confusion, probably not understanding why I hesitated to go out.

This is completely just a hobby outfit of mine, so it probably doesn’t suit me at all, I don’t want to bother Toto-dono with me looking weird.

「…that, can I change my clothes first?」

「Eh! That’s, that’s no good, you are cute after all, why?」

Cute you say, I’m sure she’s not serious about it. That really surprised me though.

「It’s unusual and really cute, that’s why let’s go」

Apparently, it seems like Toto-dono is serious about her comment which makes my face feel hot, but I wonder if it’s really alright for me to look like this, because nobody has ever told me I look 『Cute』after all, that’s why her compliments would usually fall into suspicion.

「Does it really look good on me?」

「of course, really, really, cute」

Toto-dono nods continuously ascertaining her statement and because it’s her then I should accept that it’s really『cute』even if there is nothing backing her words. Although it felt like I was being urged to accept it.

「If, if you say so, then I’ll go out in this outfit」

「Then, Nn」

At first I was confused by Toto-dono’s gestures holding out her hand as usual, but right now I feel like I’m being urged, and if I take this hand then I will also probably have the courage to accept it.[ED: Again, dangerous out of context, but this time it’s much more flowery]

After a few seconds of pondering, I encouraged myself to take her hand, and surely I knew that my face was bright red, so I turned my face back after taking her hand. Toto-dono didn’t concern herself about how I’ve felt, which I consider to be my salvation, as she took me outside.

All the time until we arrived at a restaurant, there was only one thought inside my heart that I was repeating, trying to convince myself.

（Toto-dono is just a very straightforward person, she definitely didn’t have any other intention, other than the compliment）

And as I continued thinking about those words, I was finally able to calm down.