Chapter 231: Stevie’s Birthday

"Rudolf, I think you are doing it while thinking of the embassy. I am sorry for forcing you and causing hardship. Yet if from now on my medicine gets on track and becomes sellable, please quit that work. When I think ’What if something happens?’ I cannot keep letting you do such a thing forever."

Inwardly I cannot say "Include me as well."

"Of course!"

Perhaps because confessing lightened him, Rudolf’s expression brightened.

"However, Robin-sama. I cannot accept all the money, can I?"

"No, all the money I receive I will entrust to Rudolf. I will manage with twenty gold coins each month, and if it is insufficient I will receive from Rudolf. Therefore keep it."

Rudolf did not move for a while, then bowed his head and said,

"Understood. I will take custody of it. I will use it carefully."

I could not say "Someday let me also do bodyguard work." Yet,

"Because you do bodyguard work your skill must be high. Will you be my opponent? I do not know what use it will be, yet I want to become stronger."

I intend to be sufficiently strong, yet no matter how strong one becomes there is nothing troublesome about it. At my words Rudolf replied,

"Most certainly. If I can be of use, by all means!"

After that, accompanying Rudolf, we made various rounds of greetings at government offices. For the nobles one must take appointments in advance, so I left that side to Rudolf. Because a large cash flow had entered I was thanked many times by Rudolf with "The operation of the carriage has become easier."

At the end of that day we stopped at Pâtisserie Yoshida and took delivery of the cake boxes. I stayed inside the carriage and Rudolf went in to fetch them. Already it is the very image of a Japanese sweets shop. Is Yoshida-san still alive? Rudolf is holding the cake boxes and wearing a happy face. It is the first time I have seen such a happy face.

Returning to the residence and looking at the cake boxes the maids immediately understood what boxes they were and made faces of hoping for leftovers, yet when they were informed by Rudolf that there was cake for all the embassy staff a cheer rose. It is happy when they are pleased.

The atmosphere of the entire embassy brightened at once and the staff is filled with an air of "I want to see the cake quickly! I want to eat it quickly!" Unable to ignore such an air we ate dinner at top speed, and the two of us, Lily and I, carried the cake boxes into the private room. When we entered the room at once a "Waaah!?" voice rose inside the residence, so it is probably the cheer at opening the cake boxes.

We place the boxes on the table and sit facing each other. When Lily opens a box there is a whole strawberry cake familiar from Japan. The diameter is probably less than 15 cm, yet for two people (three?) I think it is more than enough. On a wafer plate it is written in black letters "Stevie Nix Happy Birthday." Is the fact that it is not a chocolate board because there is no chocolate?

"Robby-sama, would you offer a prayer for Stevie?"

"Yeah, understood."

We lower the lights of the room to the minimum and Lily begins to recite scripture. Because I do not know scripture (or rather have no intention of memorizing it) I offer a silent prayer the same as when we buried Stevie’s body before.

Now, even though the birthday cake is right in front of us Stevie does not come out. Is it hard to come out when it is bright? I think and keep the room dark as it is. Even looking at Lily’s face it does not change. No matter how long we wait she does not come out. For some reason Lily is smiling. She is strangely in high spirits.

"Um, Lily. What about Stevie?"

I ended up asking because I could not hold back. Thereupon Lily says calmly,

"Today Stevie will not come out."

Haa!? Is that so? Why?

"Lily, because today we are celebrating Stevie’s birthday isn’t it proper to call Stevie?"

"Of course. Stevie is always inside my heart."

Yeah, I understand that.

"Because it is Stevie’s birthday I think we must have Stevie taste the cake?"

"It is fine! I will taste it and tell Stevie later!"

For some reason Lily is growing heated. What’s wrong?

"Um, Lily, what’s wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong! When I let Stevie out she only does as she pleases, so I have decided not to let her out anymore! In the first place it is my body, so I ought to be able to do as I like!"

Somehow a slightly bad flow has begun... It was supposed to be a modest celebration yet for some reason Lily is beginning to grow rough.

"In the first place, Robby-sama! When you are together with Stevie why do you look as if you are enjoying yourself so much!? With me you are more matter-of-fact, yet with Stevie why are you so gentle..."

Eh, that is not so, is it? Well, previously it had been a long time with Stevie and it was sudden so I was happy, yet I do not think the way of associating with Lily and Stevie is different... is that not so? When I think that the receiving side may feel differently,

"See! That’s right! As expected it is different, isn’t it! That’s right, Stevie is young and I am an auntie..."

Lily is becoming dangerous, yet that is not so, right? Young and auntie — the body is Lily’s, you know.

"Robby-sama, between me and Stevie which..."

When Lily said that far a blur arose in the outline of Lily’s face and she froze. Is it like when doing a video conference on a smartphone and entering a place with bad signal? The face that had been dissatisfied changes to an expression floating a smile. The hair and pupils look blue. Changed to Stevie?

"Honestly Big Sister Lily can’t be helped~~ I am sorry. Robby-sama."

Ah, as expected.

"Changed to Stevie? There is nothing particular to apologize for. How is Lily?"

"Yes, she is sulking in the corner, ahaha! Even though she herself is being loved by Robby-sama she feels envy at another’s and gets jealous, so it can’t be helped, you know. She’s a proper adult. Yesterday as well, when Robby-sama entered from behind, she said it felt extremely good! While saying that such a posture is like an animal and absolutely cannot be permitted, she said that hitting a place that had never been hit felt extremely good! She wants to experience it once more yet cannot bring herself to say it, what should I do? she was saying... ah, Big Sister Lily... ah, no! You must not..."

There is an instant’s pause and the hair and pupils return to the original Lily.

"Hmph! Robby-sama, what Stevie just said is complete nonsense! Please do not believe it! I did not say even one word that such a beast-like posture feels good! Such, it felt so good that my head went pure white and I seemed about to lose consciousness..."

Lily-san, you are digging your own grave. When I am appalled, as expected Lily also becomes aware, starts and covers her mouth, and says,

"Na-na-na-na-nothing, at all! What just now was Stevie making me say! It is not my feeling!"

Already I do not know which is which, and I do not know at what timing the switch occurs. I approach Lily’s side and gently embrace her.

"Both Lily and Stevie are precious people to me."

When I speak to her the Lily who had been noisy becomes quiet at once and places her head on my shoulder.

"Robby-sama..."

She clings tightly — this is Stevie, I suppose.