Chapter 250: When in Trouble

Haruna is having a late lunch in the cafeteria, which has regained its quietness after the battle at noon. Having been a kitchen warrior for a while, she’s used to eating at this time, but the price she has to pay is that she’s very hungry. She put today’s lunch on a special large plate, which is likely to serve ten people, and she keeps filling her mouth with food――

「*Gulp*….. Err, a dress?」

Meanwhile, the former chief of the kitchen asked Haru a question for small talk.

「Yes, a dress. Nell-sama’s wedding is close, right? Chief, do you have a dress to wear for that occasion? I can’t imagine it, but we are talking about Nell-sama’s wedding here. Maybe it’s going to be a grand ceremony. I’m sure there will be royalty and nobles among the guests, so I think that you have to be dressed accordingly.」

「………」

「Haruna-chan?」

Haruna stopped putting food into her mouth. Haruna has never attended a wedding, so she thought that she can just use the outing clothes she got from the castle. Being told so, she then remembered that a wedding has the image of wearing a dress.

「I haven’t prepared it….」

「「「Eh?」」」

The cooks, including the former chief, and the servants who are present let out surprised voices at the same time. They thought that Deris or Nell have prepared it. However, Deris and Nell don’t have the time to think about that. The reliable masters are too occupied with dealing with the Great Eight Demons.

「H-Hey, Chief, now is not the time to be in a place like this! You have to prepare it quickly!」

「Is there a place where I can borrow one?」

「There’s none nearby…. If it’s a commoner’s wedding, then you can wear normal clothes. But, it’s Nell-sama’s wedding. As everyone said earlier, it might be as grand as the wedding of Adelheit’s royalty. After all, Nell-sama is the knight leader who represents the country.」

「Awawawa….」

In Haruna’s mind, she pictured a scene of nobles dancing elegantly in a dance hall, as seen in movies and dramas. She realized that it will be inappropriate if she wears ordinary clothes there. Then, she started to panic.

「If nobles are coming, you have to wear something good, of course. There’s no way we can go in wearing a cook’s outfit…. Is there anyone you can rely on?」

Since they can’t help, the former chief old man asked Haruna if she knows someone who can help her. He’s also desperate since Haruna has been helping with cooking.

「It might be too late asking this now, but why did Haruna-chan become the chief?」

「Well… because the food made by Chief is better and her instructions are more accurate….」

It’s the result of her cooking with her best.

「Someone I can rely on…. Ah!」

Chinatsu’s face came to Haruna’s mind, and Haruna remembered Deris’s words. 『When in trouble, go rely on Chinatsu. No matter how bad the situation is, she will do something about it. It will benefit her too since it will help her grow. Believe in Goddess Chinatsu』, something like that.

「I’m sorry, I’m going out for a while!」

「G-Good luck!」

Strike while the iron is hot. Haruna immediately goes to the headquarters of the knight order where Chinatsu is working.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the meantime, in the office of the headquarters of the knights. Since the knight leader, Nell, is on a long vacation, Chinatsu has to do her share of work and she’s now sitting at the desk, handling the documents with tremendous momentum. And on the other side of the desk, a man who seems to belong to the knight order is sitting on a chair.

「Thank you, Vice Leader! Now I have hope for tomorrow!」

「Yes, take care. Next person, please.」

The knight left the office while skipping. On the door outside, there’s a sign that says 『Chinatsu’s Troubles Consultation Branch Office』. Yes, Chinatsu is doing her consultation work while doing her administration work. Her eyes and hands are on the documents, her ears and mouth are on the conversation. It’s a technique that’s possible by using her newly acquired 『Parallel Thinking』 to think about different tasks. She’s already reached the realm where she can do several people’s works alone.

――――Knock knock.

A knocking sound came from the door. It seems that the next lost lamb has arrived.

「Come in.」n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

「Coming in…. I’m sorry, Chinatsu-chan. Are you busy…?」

「Eh, Haruna? Why do you look so feeble? For now, sit on the chair there.」

Looking at Haruna entering the room apologetically, Chinatsu can’t restrain her sense of duty that springs from the depts of her heart, so she tidies up the documents and stops her hands. Still, it’s very unusual for Haruna to be so dispirited. What kind of problem could have caused this? Then, Chinatsu listened to Haruna’s words.

「――A dress?」

「Yes, a dress…. About the dress I’m going to wear at the wedding, I haven’t thought about it at all….」

However, the content was different from what she expected.

「I thought Deris-san has prepared it for you….」

「What about Chinatsu-chan, have you prepared it?」

「No, just like Haruna, I haven’t. I want to consult it with Shishō or Deris-san, but both of them seem to be very busy. Hmm…. I guess I also have to prepare it on my own.」

「I’ve asked everyone in the mansion, but it seems that there’s no shop that rents out a dress for a grand wedding. What should I do?」

「…… Well, it’s not that there’s no option.」

「What do you mean?」

Chinatsu raised her three fingers in front of Haruna.

「For now, I’ve come up with three solutions. One, buy a dress normally. Fortunately, we have the rewards we got from our recent work, so it’s quite possible. This is the most decent way. Two, ask Therese and Weerel if they have a spare dress. If it’s them, I’m sure they can give some good advice even if they don’t have a dress that fits us. But, they are still working, so we have to wait.」

「Uh-huh. So, what about the last one?」

「Rely on Lily-san who is resting at Deris’s house. She prepared the school uniform before, so maybe she has a dress among her disguise costumes, right?」

「Y-You are right! Chinatsu-chan is amazing after all. As for me, I didn’t know what to do at all.」

「It may be hard to go into the shop to buy a dress. So, let’s rely on Lily-san first. I’m going to end my work now, so wait a moment, okay?」

Saying so, Chinatsu got up from her east and turned over the sign of her counseling office that’s hanging on the door. The other side of the sign says, 『Currently Away』.

「Um, I’m grateful for your help, but is it fine to leave your work?」

「There’s no waiting line for now. Also, I’ve been sitting since morning, so I want to take a walk and relax once in a while. Hnn…!」

Chinatsu stretches her arms. It seems that she had been sitting at her desk since morning.

(Chinatsu-chan, what a terrifying training…. As expected of you!)

Haruna thought so from the bottom of her heart and respected Chinatsu.