coobybook Chapter 493 - 493: DSMW [496]
Chapter 493 - 493: DSMW [496]
"Aisha, are you planning to request a week of leave?""0v0 Mm-hm, Miss Erin!"
"I see." Miss Erin took a deep drag from the tobacco in her hand and blew a smoke ring toward the sky. "Then what's the reason for the leave?"
"0v0 Going home to pay respects to my ancestors."
"Why is it, Aisha, that your expression has been so strange this whole time?"
"0v0 Has it?"
Of course, her expression was strange… Aisha was feeling guilty because she was lying.
The whole 'paying respects to ancestors' thing was nothing but a lie.
Aisha Carlos' real objective was simply to abduct Miles and bring him home (× crossed out).
Rather, it was to return home and search for clues related to their ancestor, Yuna Carlos.
So calling it 'paying respects to ancestors' could be considered only half a lie.
"So the Carlos family chooses this season for ancestor worship, huh?" Miss Erin pondered for a moment. "I don't recall you requesting leave last year."
"(°Д°) B-because it's… once every two years."
Once you tell the first lie, you have to use even more lies to patch it up afterward. At that moment, Aisha deeply felt the truth of this principle.
"I see. Alright, then."
Fortunately, Miss Erin didn't grow overly suspicious.
"I'll approve the leave. Go and come back fast, Aisha."
"Thank you very much, Miss Erin!"
After politely bowing to Miss Erin, Aisha skipped out of the faculty office.
However, Aisha's request for leave was heard clearly by Ren, who was standing outside the office.
"So that's why you were looking for Miss Erin, Ai-san. To request leave to pay respects to your ancestors. But… I've known you since we were kids, and I've never heard of the Carlos family having a tradition of ancestor worship?"
"Shhh, Ren-chan, don't tell anyone, okay."
When it came to Ren, Aisha never bothered keeping secrets anyway.
She directly told Ren that Miles would be taking leave together with her, so they could go back to look for clues related to the Carlos family's ancestor, Yuna Carlos, and the Millennium Items.
However, after Aisha explained a whole lot, Ren barely listened to the latter half.
She only caught the beginning.
"I'm going back together with Mr. Miles…"
That single piece of information was what Ren locked onto.
Right after, Ren pushed open the door and rushed straight into Miss Erin's office.
"Miss Erin, I want to request leave!"
"You want to request leave too? For what reason?"
"Ancestor worship!"
"…You stay right here at the academy and attend class properly."
Ren—total defeat.
At first, Miles hadn't actually planned to request leave from Professor Field either.
Going back to Lukao to search for clues about ancestor Yuna, Aisha alone would have been enough.
As for Miles, he could completely rely on the connection between the Millennium Puzzle and, at critical moments, directly activate the 'Soul Traversal' function to possess Aisha.
Although his body at the academy would temporarily lose consciousness and be unconscious for a while, as long as he asked Nova to keep an eye on things, it would be fine.
That way, neither side would be delayed.
"(〃＞皿＜) No! Mr. Miles absolutely has to come back with me!"
Even a 3000-ATK Angry Mokey Mokey insisted on dragging Miles along, no matter what.
When Aisha got stubborn, even Miles couldn't argue her out of it. With no other choice, he could only request leave from Professor Field as well.
Luckily, although the professor looked stern and fierce, he was unexpectedly easy to talk to. Miles merely mentioned that there were some matters at home, and the professor readily approved the leave.
And so, on Sunday afternoon, the three of them successfully boarded the magitek train bound for the town of Lukao.
Three of them?
"Why are you coming along too, Irena?"
Looking at Irena sitting in the same row of seats, wearing a crossbody bag and a face full of anticipation, Miles couldn't help but complain.
"Hehe, third-years don't have many classes. I'm pretty free. And besides, I've known Aisha for so long, but never once been to Lukao. That's kind of a regret in itself."
"Then do you know what we're actually going back for?"
"Of course. To investigate ancestor Yuna," Irena said confidently, adjusting the witch's hat atop her head.
"I'm not just bragging, you know. When it comes to detective work, I'm quite skilled—especially when it involves book records from a century ago."
Aisha added, "I also thought senpai might be able to help, which is why I invited her along. But… there aren't any spare rooms at home."
"That's fine, Aisha. I can just squeeze into the same bed with you~ As for Miles, he can sleep on the floor."
"I'll find a hotel myself, thanks."
Since Irena could be of help, Miles naturally didn't have any objections.
Or perhaps, with Irena coming along as well, it might slightly ease the awkward situation Miles was worried about.
That was… how to face Alice Carlos.
It somehow felt like if Aisha brought him back alone… a younger sister bringing a man home by herself would make Alice extremely wary.
But with Irena there to dilute the male-to-female ratio, turning it into a situation of friends visiting the house, it would seem much more reasonable.
"Still, maybe I'm just worrying too much."
Miles gazed out the window of the magitek train at the countryside scenery flashing by at high speed.
Although he hadn't interacted with her much, someone like Alice Carlos—gentle, virtuous, well-read, and sensible—even if Aisha brought him back alone, probably wouldn't make things too difficult for him.
As a good older sister, she would certainly listen carefully to her younger sister's explanation.
"We're home!"
Only after jumping off the magitek train and clearly sensing the earthy fragrance of his hometown soil did the fatigue of the journey once again melt away.
Especially this time, returning together with Miles, who had regained his body, made Aisha's mood even more buoyant.
"Oh, so this is the Carlos family's fief, Lukao. It's really nice."
Riding on her broom, Irena hovered in the sky and took a few laps to look around. A farming town centered on grain cultivation, it was filled with the scenery of nature and people living in harmony, peaceful and serene.
Especially in recent times, the Carlos family's status within the Kingdom of Livorden had risen markedly.
Even after acquiring new fiefs, Alice had not forgotten this original small town.
She further reduced taxes and increased benefits, directly treating this place as the core location for the Carlos family's future development.
"Lady Aisha is back!"
"Lady Aisha! Weren't you studying at the academy? You actually found time to come back!"
The villagers were still as warm and simple as ever. Within their own fief, the Carlos family was undoubtedly deeply loved by the people, and as the Carlos family's only duelist, Aisha was even more so.
"Lady Aisha, you weren't expelled, were you?"
Of course, some of the straightforward villagers voiced a very realistic concern.
"No, no, I just brought some friends back to visit."
"Brought friends back, huh."
Only then did the villagers notice Irena and Miles following behind Aisha.
Especially Miles—he was instantly locked onto by countless gazes.
"Lady Aisha… Lady Aisha… she actually brought a man back!"
"My heavens! Should we start preparing celebratory candy and cotton already?!"
"I'll go dye some red cloth right away~ Hopefully it'll come in handy!"
Sometimes the villagers' thinking was overly simple and unadorned, and their excessive enthusiasm instead became a headache.
Still, Aisha, why aren't you explaining anything at all, and are just giggling to yourself?
"By the way, Aisha, did you tell Alice about you coming back?"
"Don't worry, Mr. Miles. I used the beaconbugs to leave my sister a message a few days ago, and she said she'd be very happy to have me bring friends back."
"That's good."
Inside the Carlos family manor, in the study, Alice—wearing glasses—was processing documents when she noticed the faint commotion coming from the town.
Elra: "Looks like the little sister you've been looking forward to has returned. You've been preparing cooking ingredients since yesterday, haven't you? It's rare to see you put this much effort in, Alice."
"After all, aside from Ren, this is the first time Aisha has brought friends from the academy back home. Of course, I can't be negligent. I must show proper hospitality as the host."
With a gentle smile, Alice casually removed her glasses, picked up the steaming teacup on the desk, and walked over to the window.
Looking out from the window, she could clearly see Aisha walking along the road. Then, after Aisha entered the house, going out immediately to greet her under the pretense of having heard the noise had already become Alice's habit.
After taking a sip of tea, Alice drew open the light-blocking curtain. "Let me see whether my little sister has become even cuter again."
Even having watched her grow up, every time Aisha returned home, Alice never tired of seeing her lively, energetic figure.
However, this time, Alice's expression suddenly changed.
She noticed Miles following behind Aisha.
"This…!"
Elra: "Hahaha, I really didn't expect this. The friend your sister brought back is a boy."
Crack!
Alice's teacup shattered into pieces in her hand.
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