MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The clothes that suit a baseball boy best should be mud-stained uniforms and jerseys.

So when I’m in a no-nationality chef’s outfit, complete with a long apron tied in the front and a floral bandana around my head, even if I’m complimented by others, I can’t bring myself to be happy about it.

“I thought Yuuri looks really good like that, so I asked the chef to bring his uniform.”

Even if the compliment comes from an unparalleled pretty boy, as fragile as a flower.

“And you also need a change of clothes, right?”

“… Thanks.”

I accept the neatly-folded stack of clothes from Saralegui, who is cocking his head to the side and giving me a blossoming smile. When I spread it out and look at it, I see that it is a properly starched chef's uniform.

“Waa— It’s brand new, too—”

No, no, I'm almost speaking in monotone. I have to accept his nice intentions graciously.

“But I would have preferred dirtier clothes, Sara. Eventually they’ll get dirty anyway. I feel like I'll be overly conscious moving around in something so pure white. Ah, or maybe I should just be a bona fide kitchen apprentice and go peel some potatoes in the dining room.”

“What are you talking about, Yuuri!?”

Saralegui grabs my right hand tightly with his fair and slender fingers.

His reaction and the skin contact are surprisingly agitated, seems like his fragile appearance hides a rather passionate side of him.

“You are my very important guest, so how can I let you work together with the sailors? Besides, the sunlight and the sea breeze are very strong on the ocean. If you catch a cold, how can I face the people of Shin Makoku?”

“Even so, our pockets are completely empty so we haven't even given you a transportation fee or a present. It's like we're getting a free ride and I feel uneasy.”

“Not a single person here thinks you're riding for free. You and your friend saved my life. You could say you saved Shou Shimaron.”

The friend he's talking about is Wolfram. Because the borrowed cloak caused Wolfram to be mistaken for Saralegui, he was shot in the chest by a subordinate of Maxine's after Maxine started a rebellion. It’s all thanks to the protection of the Poison Lady that he’s fine now, but back then my mind had really gone blank with the shock.

And so, after travelling urgently on business from Japan to this world, I’m now, for some specific reasons, on the boat of a long-time enemy country, Shou Shimaron. On top of that, I ended up basically alone with the young, seventeen-year-old, tailor-made-for-the-throne, Shou Shimaron king, Saralegui.

Our destination is a country for which no detailed map exists that has been locked away for 2000 years and lies at the ends of the seas - Seisakoku. We set out to this land of the shinzoku who are shrouded in mystery in the hopes of discussing the possibility of restoring diplomatic relations between us.

Although it’s an ambassadorial envoy led by the king, the ship we’re riding seems a bit simple.

Still, the storm three days ago hadn’t affected it at all, proving that it is indeed stronger than it looks. Though due to the vessel’s slight… no, considerable age, the paint on the outside is peeling in many places. Not only isn’t there a beautiful goddess statue on its helm, even the railings don’t have any animal carvings. Unsurprising, because this was never a king’s flagship. Instead, it was a cargo ship meant to bring offerings to Seisakoku.

Although this situation was caused by an unexpected ACCIDENT, they can't let a king go CRUISING on a lone ship no matter what. So, they had summoned some Shou Shimaron, medium-sized ships that were out on the open sea to take up guard duty mid-way. That's why we don't need any self-defense equipment. Also, even if this wasn't a battleship or a passenger boat, the crew needs living quarters so there are rooms that keep out the rain and moisture. Thrown into a panic by the presence of the king, the captain had offered the most spacious and beautiful cabin for the king and his guest. Of course, Saralegui still sighed in exasperation even after that. He has probably only rested in luxurious bedrooms. Although this room is a lot bigger than my living room back home.

Even though these are pretty good circumstances for a cargo ship, it’s still torturous to stay with someone you’ve just met, twenty-four seven. And Saralegui is the young king of a large country and, unlike me, he's an heir from an old and honorable ROYAL FAMILY. If you want me to stay in the same room as him all day, just that awkward atmosphere will be enough to suffocate me.

Maybe if he had went to PUBLIC SCHOOL or something we'd have something to talk about, but unfortunately I was born a commoner and I went to the local public elementary, middle, and high schools. I didn't have any friends who were nobility, and I don't have a knack for riding horses. My school trips were always to Kyoto and we would all keep pillow fighting until the teacher came and yelled at us.

To make matters worse, Saralegui wears the expected negligee at night. I wonder if there is a rule in this world that pretty boys' pajamas must only be negligees? For someone like me, who can't be bothered and just falls asleep in a shirt and underwear, a see-through negligee is an eyesore.. In the middle of the night when I went to the bathroom, I even thought I’d accidentally walked into a girl’s room and got such a shock.

At first all our belongings were kept on a luxury ferry, pretty as a picture and docked in the Saralegui War Port, but just as we were setting sail we were hit with a nightmarish coup d'etat and we barely escaped with our lives onto this accompanying cargo ship. Although all that happened more than ten days ago, just thinking about the situation back then still makes my heart ache and a certain spot deep in my mind heat up.

The hand that was gripping mine loosened at the indescribable sound of a stick plunging into the sand and the body next to me swayed forward.

Wolfram, who was falling backwards onto the deck engulfed in flames, had a single iron arrow sticking out of his chest.

When I grabbed the middle part, it felt exceptionally cold.

“… -ri, Yuuri!”

“Yeah.”

Saralegui's fair and slender fingers are shaking my shoulders and he's staring at me with an expression of concern. Since there's a pale-colored lens between us, I don't know what color his eyes are. These sunglasses are his own way of protecting his eyes from the light and the heat he's sensitive to so unless he's sleeping, he is always wearing them.

“What’s the matter? Are you not feeling well? Didn’t you say you don’t get seasick?”

“Relax, relax, I’m fine. I was just feeling a little breathless, that’s all.”

“Breathless? Oh no, should we open the windows?”

“Ah~ It’s okay, it’s okay! I’ll just go out for a breather. Seems like if I’m cooped up indoors, I can’t calm down at all!”

And so I abandon my unhappy roommate and leave the room. When I close the door behind me, I naturally heave a long sigh. The tension leaves my shoulders. For some reason, I get really nervous whenever I'm alone with Saralegui. On the wide open deck, I enjoy the sea breeze and prepare to break my own SQUAT record.

“Something happen?”

“Waa!”

The pleasantly husky voice comes from right beside me, forcing me to make a very embarrassing scream.

“D-d-don’t suddenly speak up like that! Y-you scared the hell out of me.”

“A LADY never makes a noise when walking, and Gurrier is very graceful, y’know.”

Shin Makoku’s spy flexes his enchanting biceps.

Sometimes a well-honed spy infiltrating another country, sometimes a reliable BODYGUARD in history’s lowest staffed ambassadorial envoy, sometimes the flower of the party dressed in magnificent evening clothes… He is Gurrier Josak. The scary thing is, he still gets tons of invitations and has almost never known what it’s like to be a wallflower. Seems that different people have different interests, after all.

“Why d’you suddenly pop up from the corner of the corridor?!”

“Because this ship doesn’t have an extra layer under the floorboards, or an extra layer on the ceiling. We spies do best hiding in dark and damp spots…”

“And Josak… Why are you wearing the long-sleeved apron of a cafeteria auntie…”

The most incredible thing is that he's pulling it off flawlessly. There’s not any bit of awkwardness in it.

“Isn’t it obvious? Of course it’s to match the Young Master, and I won’t ever let you leave any food uneaten—”

I feel as though he’s stuck a sour plum on my forehead. Although he's a bit of a cross-dresser, even I know that once you put a weapon in his hands, he’s the most capable soldier. Only now he has a pan and a ladle in those hands.

“But what’s up with you? Sighing so long just now, that’s not like you at all.”

“You say it like I’m always carefree. Right, right, so I’m someone with no brains and all brawn!”

“I would never say something so rude. Ah, but Gurrier likes muscles. After all they're a good way to pass the time."

"Don't tell me you flex your pecs too when you're bored…"

And flexing both sides in rhythm.

The two of us, in a brand NEW kitchen uniform and a long sleeved apron respectively, come to the chilly, windy deck. The sun is high in the sky so it should be past noon now, but it seems that the temperature in this part of the sea is real low all year round. The ocean surface is greyish-blue and the waves are fairly high, too.

“Because there’s a cold current. This is much farther north than Shin Makoku. Aren’t you cold?”

“Cold? Ah~ Right.”

Now that he mentions it, I realize that the muscles in my body are all taut, it’s because of the cold air here, making my body naturally contract. If I did rigorous exercises the way I am now, my skin and flesh will probably split right open.

“Right—Then I’ll just do some warm-ups, first some simple stretches and slow jogging.”

Josak’s brows immediately sag downwards. This is not surprising either, because during this entire journey I've been having him run with me whenever I'm free.

“You're going to run again?! Really, I haven't been forced to run this much since training in military school.”

“Actually, you don’t have to accompany me.”

“Nonono, please let me accompany milord. In fact, I even wish we could sleep in the same room.”

“…When it comes to the rooms, I’d advise you not to accompany me.”

Josak asks me, who’s staring into the sky wordlessly, “Why?” Although it’s not something I should announce to the whole world, but I say it anyway.

“Becauses Sara is a lingerie-wearing sexy king!”

Only thing is, if something small like this makes him lose his confidence, I’ll feel troubled; if it fires him up and causes him to wear a sexy long-sleeved apron, I’ll be even more troubled.

After some simple stretches, I start jogging around the deck. Just when I touch the mast at the ship’s stern for the second time, my foot gets caught on the ropes, and I lose my balance.

“Careful!”

Josak grabs my waist just in time.

I’m saved, thank goodness I didn’t have to crash into that stack of cargo left out here to brave the weather.

Just as I shake my head and prepare to lift myself up, although I wasn’t paying any particular attention to it, my gaze just happens to wander to the shadows of the wooden crates.

“Eh?”

A young woman is crouched down leaning on the boxes for support.

Both her hands are pressed against the peeling paint on the wood, her thin body gently holding her breath. When our eyes meet, she resists the urge to scream, moving away from me using her knees, her lashes and lips trembling.

“Who-”

Before I can ask her ‘who are you’, she’s already stood up. Her eyes are wide with terror, eyes that are clearly golden even under the sun. She turns around as she tries to escape the scene and that long hair floats by before me. Even her hair is golden, although filth has turned it pale grey.

“Hey wa- Wait! I won’t do anything to you!”

“Whoa, Young Master, if you twist your body like that-… Ah, but it looks like there's no need to chase her anymore. That's good.”

Just as Josak said, the young woman came back immediately. Since she had changed directions as soon as she started running earlier, now her stick-like legs are both shaking like leaves. I suddenly realize something. She's barefoot. And not only that, in this cold weather she's not wearing clothes that actually look like clothes. All she has is a piece of cloth like a kantoui from the Yayoi period tied at the waist with a piece of rope. Her arms and neck are really thin and even the scream that she let out for some unknown reason is weak.

She curls up in the dark beside the cargo, covering her head with her arms. Her hunched back is shaking. What on earth is she so scared about?

“Um…”

Even though my outstretched hand hasn't touched her, her shoulders flinch with a start. It was because she heard some angry male voices coming from the stairs leading to the storage hold. Their conversing voices come closer and closer. They are clearly searching for someone. The young woman curls up her body even more, covers her ears, and stops moving. There's no mistaking it; she's the target the men are after.

“Even if she's hiding behind something, it's just a matter of time... At least if she hid in the boxes, she might still have a shot of making it past them. Damn, where is the lid?!”

I frantically pat down the cargo, looking for the opening, but every surface is firmly nailed shut and it doesn't look like I'll be able to open it. The spy beside me can't bear to watch anymore, so he puts his hands to the edges of the box and rips it off with pure strength.

"Honestly, 'don't get involved with shinzoku' has been the family motto since my parent's generation. Although... ORYA! I can't even remember my parent's face not to mention whether they were beautiful or not."

The entire side of the box rips away in his hands. Those biceps really can do anything.

“It’s all thanks to you, Josak. I’m sure your mother was a beauty who looked great in GORGEOUS dresses.”

“I was talking about my dad just now.”

We hurriedly stuff the thin body into the box, then casually put the boards back in place. In case the boards fall down again, we use our backs to hold them there. The crewmen who had been yelling loudly notice us and run over. They're wearing NO SLEEVE shirts that look like the sleeves have been deliberately ripped off and they're showing off how thick their arms are. I wonder if this is the wild man of the sea look? However, their hairstyle is the unique cropped ponytail.

“Deepest apologies, esteemed guests.”

“W-what is the matter?”

Crap, I'm talking like a historical drama again. Whenever I purposely want to sound authoritative, I'll unconsciously use this manner of speaking. It's because I haven't learned the proper manner of nobility a king or ruler should have.

“Have you seen a young woman?”

“No, no. W-we didn’t see any stowaways!”

The two crewmen cock their heads at my answer. Their light brown ponytails swing about adorably. I wonder if I said something I shouldn't have.

“There aren’t any stowaways aboard this ship.”

"Is that so? Then, well, that's great. What a bother, stowing away has become popular amongst the youths these days. So much so that in Japan we have a saying, 'after a stowaway it's fine'."

There’s no such saying!

“We’re not looking for stowaways, but Seisakoku’s…”

“Are you deaf? My young master already said he doesn’t know anything.”

Exasperated by my ridiculous excuse, Josak starts cracking his fingers, looking as though he was getting ready to play it rough.

“Right, who wants to be the man-eating maidmer princess’s lunch?”

The crewmen’s expressions change abruptly. I didn’t know that. Maidmer princesses were carnivorous?

“Y-y-y-y-you said, be their lunch?!”

“Not that way, I saw her head for the control room.”

Right then a figure with a familiar gait walks over to us from a cabin in front of the mast, near the bow. He's wearing a uniform different from anyone else on this ship. Different from the aqua blue based Shou Shimaron army uniform, his outfit is yellow and white, reminiscent of desert sand.

He is the Dai Shimaron ambassador traveling with us, Lord Weller Conrart.

“It seems like you're searching in the wrong place.”

He is the royal ambassador from a neighboring country of higher position. Perhaps they know that disobeying orders now will be a direct slap in the other party’s face because the crewmen reluctantly take their leave.

Standing before us, who had our backs against the wooden boxes, Lord Weller says in a low voice, “I don’t quite approve.”

At first I thought he was scolding me for hiding the stowaway, but that doesn't seem to be the case. After gazing at me, he hands over the brown coat he was wearing.

“You'll catch a cold dressing like that and coming out into the sea breeze.”

I slowly shake my head.

“No need. I have no intention of borrowing another country’s military uniform.”

“These are my personal clothes.”

“I'll pass.”

Lord Weller turns his gaze to Josak. The spy raises both hands while saying in a light and mischievous tone to not look at him like that. "I didn't do a~nything, and I didn't give him any funny ideas, either."

“It’s true, no one gave me any ideas. I don’t feel cold, so I won’t borrow anyone else’s clothes. Even if I need to, I will borrow Saralegui’s. That’s all.”

"… If so, then please do so quickly. It will be too late once your health is affected."

"You're worrying about the wrong person."

In place of an answer, his eyes narrow slightly. The scar on the side of his brow is stretched just a little.

“Sara is in the bedroom. Is it okay for you to be away from him?”

“This is his ship. As long as there's no big crisis, the king of Shou Shimaron, Saralegui, is safe. That's right, as long as there's no big crisis.”

Lord Weller pulls back his left hand, his expression still unreadable. Is that real? As I look at the joint with its natural movements, I absently think about that in a corner of my brain.

Is his left arm real? Or is it a well-crafted prosthetic which looks and works just like living flesh and bone? A soft prosthetic that's as warm as real human skin. Does a prosthetic like that exist?

Maybe there's a von Karbelnikoff stamp near the elbow.

My imagination is interrupted at the moment Lady Anissina smiles knowingly because I felt the wooden box behind me shake slightly. Crap, we left the stowaway girl locked up in the box. We can’t have her running out of air to breathe so we hurriedly take away the wooden boards.

The young woman tumbles out of the box, taking a deep breath of fresh air and then sneezing loudly, and not just once or twice either.　She kept on sneezing so much that I felt guilty as the one who hid her.

“Sorry, was there pepper inside?”

She puts her hands on her unsteady knees, trying to stand. When I look at her again, I see that this stowaway sneaking around was a little too young to be called a young woman. She might be my age or one or two years younger. Those golden eyes, filled with terror and staring at us, are the only large things about her. There are thin limbs that look like dry twigs poking out of the bottom of her Joumon or Yayoi period-esque clothes. But despite her skinniness, her chest is surprisingly large and eye-catching. So much so that I don't know where to look, finally resorting to staring at the sky.

"Your… chest… is… really… big… Waa! S-s-sorry!"

I actually said something that sounds like outrageous sexual harassment!

“Young Master, really, why should you get all flustered over those fakes? Those are obviously stuffed. Outsiders might be fooled, but you won’t get past my eyes!”

“Because your chest is pure and genuine muscle… Waa!”

While I'm getting embarrassed about huge breasts under thin clothes, something hard and heavy suddenly falls. It's a can with a red and white label. The girl hurriedly kneels to the ground and picks up the fallen can and shoves it into her pocket. In that moment, I can see bread stuffed down her chest through a slit in her clothes.

"Ah, man-made breasts."

"See?"

The spy who believes that real men should go for D cups laughs, telling me ‘I told you so!’ with a look. Seems like she couldn’t bear her hunger while stowing away, so she stole some food from the kitchen, and even now she’s desperately protecting the food so we can’t snatch it away.

“I won’t take it! I won’t take away those things, so please stop grabbing your chest! Ah, otherwise my nose will starts spraying Gun… Gun Juices!”

'Once you know they’re fake breasts, even the desire seems hollow,' taken from a sexual harassment senryuu.

Ignoring my embarrassing discomposure, Lord Weller quickly surveys the surroundings. After making sure the crew don't see anything, he pushes the girl's back and urges her forward. She is a shinzoku. She probably won't understand what we're saying.

“It’s best if she gets back as soon as possible.”

“Back? Back where? I would love to hide her in my room, but unfortunately this time I'm bunking with Sara. Ah! That's right, give me that coat just now.”

There are goosebumps on her exposed shoulders.

“It’s for her. If you’re willing, can you lend it to her?”

“Of course.”

For a moment there, I felt as though Conrad smiled, or it could have just been the strong winds forcing him to crinkle his eyes. He puts the coat over the girl without a hint of displeasure. That part of him is as gentlemanly as always.

“Anyway, first we have to find you a room to stay in. Josak, is there anywhere she can hide around your place?”

He replies with a shrug. He might have been forced to stay with the captain who had arranged for Saralegui and me to be in the same room.

“How about Lord Weller’s place? Although it’s near the crew’s cabins, he has a single room. Because he’s Dai Shimaron’s ambassador.”

"If it was just her, I would be able to hide her, but..."

"Eh, what? She didn't stow away alon-… Ah!"

After carefully appraising her surroundings, the girl breaks free from us and starts running. She's running bent forward to prevent the food she's clutching to her chest from falling, as fast as a rabbit.

“Wait a sec!”

I hurriedly give chase and she climbs down the ladder at the stern, passes through a storage hold I've never been in, and then pulls up the floorboard at the very back. There's instantly a smell of saltwater even stronger than the sea breeze.

“Wait up, you!”

“Your Majesty, don’t run too far in!”

Before my belt is grabbed, I'm already climbing down an almost completely rotten ladder. Although my palm is being pricked by the wood, it's taking all I have just to prevent myself from falling so I can't worry about splinters. What happened to the girl? Don't tell me she lost her footing and fell onto the shelves? Thinking that, I look down warily.

“Eh…!”

Suddenly, countless lights shine up simultaneously from the bottom of the ship. It's not the light from fireflies or marine animals. Those are eyes, the eyes of sentient beings. This reminds me of the time I was surrounded by rats in the sewers, forcing a cold sweat on my back. My fingers start trembling and I nearly fall.

“Your Majesty!"

“Young Master, are you all… Oh my, looks like we’ve discovered some rather troubling cargo.”

Josak and Lord Weller look uncharacteristically panicked and they reach out from the storage hold and grab my clothes.

“Why are there so many people at the bottom of the boat… Are they stowing away in such a large group?!”

“They’re not in here of their own free will.”

Lord Weller seems to know some inside information.

As I'm forcefully pulled up, I felt their gazes so much it hurt. The gazes were sharp and piercing. I don't know if they are filled with hatred or curiosity.

“They’re all shinzoku. Shinzoku who had drifted to Shimaron from Seisakoku and are now being deported back to their home country.

Their eyes are all golden. In the weak rays of light shining in from the cracks, only their silent eyes are shining.

Back to Chapter 1

Return to MA Series

Forward to Chapter 3