Chapter 430 Gargantua’s Speculation
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
(Hiroya’s POV)
Upon returning to the Clan house from the ‘Grand Market,’ I immediately handed over the tailor’s Mayshi to Ms. Sasha, and showed her the boots I bought for Martina and Dorothy’s dress.
”The craftsmanship is quite exquisite…”
”This verdant green is truly unique…”
Ms. Sasha admired the items and flipped through Mayshi’s catalog, while Ms. Carla, whose family merchant guild primarily deals with clothing, picked up Dorothy’s dress, captivated by its color.
”Mr. Hiroya, thank you. I’ll contact him tomorrow♡”
”I’m glad I could help.”
Ms. Sasha gave me a grateful kiss on the cheek.
* * *
As promised, Leona, the council chair, visited the Clan house before dinner.
She came alone, without her troupe of musicians and dancers.
”Those girls are invited to the guild. They’re probably helping to liven up the adventurers’ party right now.”
Apparently, after the performance, the ‘matchmaking party’ my father had planned was about to begin, endorsed by the Guild Master himself.
Adventurers would be introduced to dwarf women.
”I wanted to go too, but…”
”The captain has no restraint when it comes to women, so it’s a no-go.”
For some reason, Bone, who was at the ‘Famière’ Clan house, was grumbling while chugging a mug of beer, while Carla calmly retorted next to him.
”Hey Bone, why are you here?”
”Don’t be like that, Liz-Liz. All the ‘Black Sheep’ members went to the guild, and the barracks feel lonely without them.”
The men of ‘Black Sheep’ had gone to the guild in search of dwarf girls, while the women went to enjoy the performance.
”The guys from Black Sheep are all seen as troublemakers, but they have solid backgrounds. Most importantly, they’re all gentleman.”
I see.
So they are the male adventurers approved by the Guild Master.
”Since da captain’s a goof, da team members are actuawy pretty rewiabwe. Ya guys def’nitely got some sharp-lookin’ fellas.”
Simona laughed while patting Bone’s back.
* * *
”It’s a shame Grandma came over, but where did Grandpa go off to?”
Aluda complained while helping bring food to the table.
”Master Toldo went drinking with Hernando, Esperanza, and Gorge.”
Gargantua, who just entered the dining room, told us.
Her red hair was damp, probably from a bath.
”He was training Hernando and Esperanza in the afternoon. They ought to be 2 of our most skilled guys…”
Gargantua, who felt disappointed about losing to me so quickly, seemed to have trained them quite harshly.
”After training, Gorge came home just as Master Toldo was taking a bath, and they seemed to hit it off really well.”
Gargantua sat at the table with a wry smile.
”Yeah, Gorge was calling him ‘big bro.’ ── He won’t be back until morning.”
Asuka smiled while laying out the children’s meals for the clan on the table.
”Sorry, Grandma…”
Aluda bowed apologetically to Ms. Leona.
”It’s fine. That guy always does what he wants. I’m used to it by now. Besides──”
Ms. Leona lovingly patted Aluda’s head.
”──I came here to see you all, so that playboy doesn’t matter.”
Saying this, Ms. Leona smiled at Aluda.
Even without Toldo and Gorge, we had a lively dinner with Ms. Leona, Bone, and Carla joining us.
* * *
(Now, it’s Liz’s turn. ── But before that)
I’m heading to Simona’s room after lightly sweating in the bath.
(I’ve been feeling it since the first day of play…)
Simona pushed the rules quite a bit when she followed Gunilla.
Thinking about it, I realize she’s been holding back well.
Even though Simona is with Helena and Frieda about twice a week, when it comes to this ‘teasing play,’ she has to hold off.
(Tonight… should I tease her thoroughly?)
While thinking about that, I knocked on Simona’s door.
* * *
(Asuka’s POV)
8 PM.
In the open space on the third floor, I called out Gargantua.
I have something I want to ask.
Bone and Carla were very satisfied with Ms. Hanna’s dinner and returned to the ‘Black Sheep’ lodge.
Kazumi and Rena were saying they were having a meeting about tomorrow’s business talks with Ms. Sasha and Ms. Carla.
They are probably in Ms. Sasha’s room.
Ms. Hanna and Ariane are going to take a bath after cleaning up dinner with the 3 wolf maids.
In the meantime, Martina, Dorothy, and Sandra are watching Kaoru, Craig, and Liselle.
Romy, Gunilla, Noriss, Lotta, Gieze, and Karina returned to their rooms early.
Violet said she would sweat a bit during practice.
Aluda, Eluda, and Meluda were deep in conversation with their grandmother, Chairwoman Leona, in the dining hall.
(Simona and Liz are with Hiroya…)
For now, it seems like I can be alone with Gargantua in the open space on the third floor.
* * *
In the open space on the third floor, Gargantua was already sitting on the sofa waiting for me.
”I’m sorry. I called you out and made you wait.”
”No, I don’t want you to worry about it.”
I took out 2 glasses and a bottle of wine from the cabinet and placed them on the table.
”Thank you.”
As I offered the glass filled with wine in front of her, Gargantua lightly bowed her head.
”Right away… I wanted to hear your thoughts on Hiroya──on adult Hiroya.”
Gargantua’s hand, moving the glass to her lips, pauses at my question.
”Hmm…”
After savoring the aroma, Gargantua takes a light sip of wine and continues speaking.
”That strength was truly surprising… I managed to control the situation somehow, but I don’t know about next time.”
”I see…”
I also take a sip of wine.
”I heard from Master Toldo that Hiroya is struggling.”
”──!”
Hearing Gargantua’s muttered words, now my hand holding the glass stops moving.
”As expected of Lord Toldo. He noticed, didn’t he?”
”Lady Asuka. I heard you practice with Hiroya every morning──”
Gargantua sits with her legs crossed, resting her chin on her hand.
”──Did you feel the same way?”
”Yes… recently Hiroya’s techniques lack ‘sharpness’.”
”I see.”
Nodding, Gargantua sinks deeper into the sofa.
”After fighting against him in his adult form, I’ve drawn my own conclusions──”
”I think that’s probably…the same as my thoughts…would you share?”
* * *
Since living with Hiroya, I’ve kept up morning training with him.
Each time, I felt his Growth at a deep level.
That became an encouragement for my own Growth, and even with a fine man named Gorge in my life,
’I want his seed’
was one reason I was drawn to him so much.
That is──
(He’s become stronger. He likely possesses power that can be called number one among Raetia’s adventurers. But…)
The Growth I felt up to now doesn’t seem to be present in him lately.
(Eleven years old. His body is maturing and, at this age, he should still be growing. But… why?)
Due to Kaoru’s childbirth and child-rearing, I haven’t been able to accompany the exploration of ‘Great labyrinth Raetia,’ but from what I’ve heard from Liz, Dorothy, and Simona, as the floors deepen to 17, 18, 19…
(I heard he often fights in the form of ‘adult’).
It was when I saw Hiroya fighting for the first time in a while, battling the dragon Goliath in the ‘Goblin Forest Labyrinth.’
Back then, Hiroya was on the verge of exhaustion, but given the damage Goliath caused and the overwhelming ‘masculine allure’ in the air, Hiroya’s strength must still be intact.
(No, more than that… at that moment, I was ‘drenched’ more than before…)
Far from intact, it seemed his power had actually increased.
Yet… why doesn’t Hiroya himself…
* * *
”──I share the same thought. And perhaps my reasoning is correct.”
”I think that. ‘He relies too much on the adult figure.’”
Gargantua gazes into my eyes.
”To break the current situation…”
”Ah, ‘Hiroya must face the formidable enemy himself,’ right?”
Gargantua nodded deeply and sipped from the wine glass.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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