BXBX NOVEL Volume 4, Interlude: The Frenzy of Elis
Volume 4, Interlude: The Frenzy of Elis
Translator: Skythewood
Editor: Hiiro
Royal Capital FizzSouth Zone
In Grimoire Street, known for being a bustling street even in the prosperous south zone, two exceptionally beautiful women were strolling along there. One of them was Ellis Crawford, who seemed to be having the time of her life, the other was Olivia Valedstorm, who was greedily breathing the smell of the food from the stalls..
「Olivia Onee-sama, the weather is great today, so this will be a wonderful date!」
「That’s right. By the way, where are you taking me, Ellis?」
Olivia asked Ellis who was humming happily beside her. Unlike Ellis who was wearing her uniform, Olivia had her dark armour on.
They weren’t heading to a fight, this was just Ellis’ request.
「 Allow me to keep this a secret for now.」
Ellis smiled after licking Olivia’s entire body with her eyes. Olivia understood she didn’t want to say, and pointed at one of the many shops along the street.
「How about that shop?」
「… That run down place?」
Ellis frowned.
This was an easily recognized building with a faded orange triangle roof. By the way, the sign board 「Le Franchell」 was slanted heavily to the right, and was on the verge of falling off.
When Olivia saw this place for the first time, she reacted similarly to Ellis.
「Well, Ashton told me about this place, a cake shop only the experts would know. The cake I tried during the castle’s victory celebration is delicious, but this shop is even better. Isn’t that amazing?」
「So this is the shop Olivia Onee-sama had on your mind all this time?」
「Right right, this is the shop.」
「Aha… I see...」
Ellis said as she looked up at the signboard again.
About half a month ago, Olivia was making a huge fuss, so Ashton reluctantly brought her to this shop. When Olivia was feeling uneasy about the shoddy shop, Ashton beside her was looking around restlessly too. But when the cake entered Olivia’s mouth, it wiped all her worries away. It wasn’t just tasty, it felt like the cake was melting on her tongue.
Olivia still remember when she thanked Ashton, he looked relieved with a face that said 『Told you so.』
Olivia made up her mind to eat there everyday while she was still in the capital, but Claudia stopped her ambition. Her reason was 『It might be tasty, but you will grow tired of it if you eat one everyday.』 Olivia thought she was right and followed her advice.
It has been two whole days since Olivia’s last visit.
「Ellis will find the food delicious too.」
But Ellis didn’t react much. Olivia perked up her ears and heard her mumbling 「Olivia Onee-sama and cake, Olivia Onee-sama and cake, Olivia Onee-sama and cake, Olivia——」 She kept repeating the same thing.
Sensing danger, Olivia slowly pulled away from Ellis, but Ellis immediately closed the distance like a Yasha.
<夜叉: Japanese Demon https://yokai.fandom.com/wiki/Yasha>
「Olivia Onee-sama, why are you moving so far away from me?」
Ellis tilted her head adorably and asked with a smile.
「Y-You seemed to be in deep thought, so I don’t want to be a nuisance.」
「I will never in my life ever find Olivia Onee-sama a nuisance. Even if the sky falls down, that will still be impossible.」
「I-Is that so— So what about the cake?」
「It’s a tempting offer, but I will pass for now.」
「G-Got it.」
She was rejected, but Olivia felt relieved instead— but this was only for an instant.
「And, so! We can go have cake after we are done with this errand. A two step killing move.」
Olivia didn’t understand what a two step killing move was. What she did know was not to defy the smiling Ellis, so she kept nodding. This was the birth of a different Yasha, separate from Claudia.
「Oh, today is the most wonderful day.」
「I-I don’t really understand, but that’s great.」
Olivia looked with complicated feelings at the mesmerized Ellis who was hugging herself with both arms.
(Humans seem more complicated and stranger than what Z told me. I have still much to learn.)
Olivia thought about the figure of Z as he gave lessons with a book in one hand.
§
「Olivia Onee-sama, this is the place.」
When they arrived at their destination, Ellis hurried to open the door and pulled Olivia in.
「This is the place you want to take me to?」
Olivia surveyed the shop curiously.
The layout of the shop was fashionably designed to appeal to young girls, with the trendy clothes laid out neatly on the shelves. According to the clerk, even the Fourth Princess, Sara, would visit in secret— but that didn’t matter to Ellis.
「That’s right, but we are not here to pick clothes for Olivia Onee-sama.」
On off days, Olivia only wore a few outfits, and the colour on all of them had faded beyond recognition. Olivia didn’t pay much attention to clothes, and Ellis didn’t have any urge to let her wear pretty dresses. Olivia was already a perfect piece of art, and even rags would look great on her.
Before Olivia, even the Goddess of beauty Aphrodia would pale in comparison.
(Fufu, if Olivia Onee-sama put that on…)
As Ellis was smiling to herself, an acquaintance of hers jogged over. It was the clerk she spoke with during her last visit.
「Lady Crawford, we have been eagerly waiting for your visit. Are you here to pick up your order?」
「Yes, is it done?」
「It is a masterpiece made with great care by our tailors. I have prepared the things to your liking myself, Lady Crawford. Please wait a moment and I will fetch you for you.」
After that, the clerk ran off and disappeared deep inside the shop.
Ellis took on the mission of playing Olivia’s body double and got a tidy bonus. After assuring the shop that money wasn’t an issue, the clerks’ attitude turned respectful. Shortly after, the clerk came back with two boxes.
「Pardon us for the wait, this is the goods you ordered.」
The clerk opened the boxes properly and took out the items, then laid them out carefully on the counter. One was a ceremonial white cape to be draped over the left shoulder, while the other was a short red cape meant for the battlefield. Both of them had the same emblem in the center, crossed scythes and a skull covered in roses— the Valedstorm coat of arms that struck fear into the Imperial Army.
Olivia looked back and forth between the two capes and asked.
「They have the Valedstorm coat of arms on them… Are they for me?」
「Yes, this is a gift to celebrate Olivia Onee-sama’s promotion to Major General, please accept them.」
When she heard Olivia’s black armour was a gift from Ashton, she custom ordered these capes to compete with him.
「Thank you, Ellis!」
Olivia immediately put on the ceremonial cape with a heart stopping smile. Ellis endured a bout of dizziness and desperately asked the clerk for a mirror.
Olivia stood before the mirror and turned around with her cape in hand.
「How is it? Does it suit me?」
「It’s perfect… I’m getting a nosebleed.」
「Ehh? But why?」
「Olivia Onee-sma, humans are beings who will bleed out of their nose at the sight of something too wonderful.」
「Heehee, I didn’t know humans are like that.」
Olivia nodded in awe, then took out a black notebook and scribbled on it. When she locked eyes with the clerk, she looked away.
「After we go back, I want to let Ashton and Claudia see this as soon as possible.」
「The two of them will definitely be moved when they see you— Well then, on to our next destination.」
「We look forward to your next visit.」
After confirming the payment, the clerk sent them off with a smile. The two of them then headed to the cake shop recommended by Olivia.
An hour later—
「Ellis?」
「Ah~」
「Erm, well…」
「Ah~」
「I-I got it.」
Ellis succeeded in getting the troubled Olivia to feed her cake.
Claudia who learned about this in the future would choke her with a smile, but that’s another story.