(Chapter 6) Louise Plan
"Who is it? Who's knocking at this time...?"
Anna had just returned home not long ago and was already suspecting that someone from the red-light district might have followed her all the way here.
She pulled out a dagger sheathed in a cloth cover from the cabinet, hid it inside her coat, and cautiously opened the door a crack.
"Anna-Senpai?"
But Anna's worries were unfounded. The person knocking wasn't a suspicious figure, nor was it one of those neighbors she barely exchanged a few words with throughout the year. It was Louise.
"Louise, how did you... Oh, you must be off work by now..."
Being the daughter of a high-ranking official, Louise enjoyed privileges that were out of the ordinary. Unlike Anna, who had to patrol until seven or eight in the evening before she could return home, Louise could leave work promptly at five in the afternoon, something Anna had envied before.
Although Anna was well aware that Louise had ulterior motives specifically, towards her body, she still let Louise into her home.
"Senpai, are you feeling better?" Louise didn't do anything too outrageous; after all, she still maintained a girl's modesty. She just politely inquired about Anna's well-being.
"I just didn't sleep well last night, that's all. It's nothing serious," Anna waved her hand dismissively. "See, I took a nap and already feel much better. I even went out for a walk this afternoon."
"That's good to hear. When I saw your pale face this morning, I was really worried," Louise said, her face breaking into the serene smile she often wore. "It was the first time I've seen such a capable Senpai looking so exhausted."
"Well, that's normal. I hardly ever take a break," Anna replied, unsure of how to explain. "In fact, it's impressive that I only started showing signs of fatigue after half a year of this..."
"It's my fault. I always thought it was natural for you to take on so many tasks. I never realized how unreasonable it was to pile so much work on you," Louise clenched her small fists. "Today, I tried patrolling the entire town like you do, and only then did I understand how heavy your workload is..."
"Ah... really?"
As Anna spoke, she felt a cold sweat breaking out.
Louise patrolled the entire town? Did she even go through the red-light district?
Although her visit to the red-light district wasn't exactly for investigation—more like being teased by a courtesan—it didn't take much time. But if by some coincidence, Louise had seen her there...
Wouldn't her perfect Senior image in real life be completely ruined?
"Senpai? You look like you're not feeling well again?" Louise, who had been paying close attention to Anna, immediately noticed her sudden pallor.
"No, it's nothing. I just remembered that I haven't maintained my armor yet," Anna managed to come up with a plausible excuse. "You know, if you don't maintain your armor right after wearing it, no matter if it's just for a second or longer, it will rust..."
"Eh? Is that so?" Louise seemed completely unaware of such information. "My armor has always been maintained by the servants. No wonder every time I finish work, the butler insists on having a few maids take care of it..."
"Is... that so?"
This is the life of a noble's child!
Damn it! I was too hasty! Only a knight from a fallen noble family like me would have to worry about maintaining my own armor!
I don't want to maintain armor either! I wish I could be like ordinary girls, not having to worry about anything, dressing up beautifully, spraying on top-notch imported perfume from the capital, wearing pretty dresses, and walking down the street with an innocent look, saying: "If you can't afford bread, why not eat cake?"
Wuwuwu...
"Senpai? Why do you look even paler? Are you okay?"
"Really, I'm fine..." Anna quickly snapped out of her mental storm and forced a smile that looked more like a grimace. "Then I won't keep chatting. I need to go maintain my armor..."
"Um... Senpai."
"What is it?"
"Can I join you?"
A few minutes later.
Anna and Louise were sitting in front of a rickety wooden table covered with disassembled armor pieces and linings.
To be honest, Anna found the scene a bit odd.
Spending the afternoon with a junior who had a crush on her, instead of doing something girls typically enjoy like shopping, they were laboriously scrubbing rust off armor with sand and rags...
"By the way, Louise, why did you decide to become a border knight?"
This was one of Anna's biggest questions. As the daughter of a duke, Louise could have easily lived a perfect noble life without becoming a knight. Why would she choose to be a hardworking border knight in such a remote area?
"It's kind of my dream," Louise replied, her movements not very skilled but earnest as she polished the armor. "To become a knight as dedicated and noble as you, Anna-Senpai, has been my dream since I was a child."
"I'm not as noble as you think..." Anna didn't expect a simple question to lead to such flattering praise, making it even harder for her to continue the conversation.
If one day Louise found out that she was just a lazy knight who wanted to slack off, occasionally tempted by courtesans, and even considered working in a brothel to escape her responsibilities, wouldn't her dream shatter?
Thinking about it, in the simulation where she became a courtesan, Louise's disappointed expression was exactly that of a shattered dream.
That version of herself in the simulation was truly a sinful person.
Quickly distancing herself from the simulated version, Anna snapped back to reality. With the help of both of them, the armor, which didn't have much rust to begin with, was soon fully maintained.
Hanging the armor on a mannequin with gloves, Anna stretched her body.
"Ah, I haven't felt this relaxed in a long time."
After all, she usually returned from patrols drenched in sweat, spending forty minutes just maintaining her armor. Subtracting meal and bath times, it was almost time to sleep.
"Senpai's workload really needs to be lighter," Louise, hearing Anna's unconscious mutter, pondered for a moment. "I'll talk to my father about it later."
"Eh? No need, no need!" Anna, not immediately understanding what Louise meant, quickly waved her hands. "If possible, I'd like to postpone our weekend shopping plans... just a little."
"Why!?"
Louise's reaction was much more intense than Anna had anticipated, startling her.
"Why postpone?" Louise's voice rose noticeably. "Does Senpai... not want to be with me..."
"No, no, that's not what I meant at all!" Anna hurriedly interrupted Louise's train of thought. "You've got it wrong!"
"Then what..."
"I just... never mind, come closer."
Anna felt that finding some other excuse to brush off her junior wouldn't be good. After a brief thought, she gestured for Louise to come closer, speaking in a much softer voice.
Louise immediately leaned in, and for the first time, Anna noticed a pleasant, subtle floral scent.
Was this Louise's natural scent? Or was it perfume? Though faint, it was really nice...
Then, Anna shook her head, quickly snapping out of the floral aroma, and after a light cough, she began, "Actually, I suspect someone is plotting something..."
Anna then spun a story about how, during her missions to hunt monsters outside, she had encountered some artificially enhanced monsters and felt like she was being followed.
Although none of this had actually happened in real life, Anna firmly believed in the contents of that mysterious simulator—even though most of it hadn't been verified.
"Is... is that so!"
Louise seemed completely taken in by Anna's story, believing every word. "In that case, I'll write to my father immediately..."
"Wait, wait," Anna interrupted. "How long would it take for a letter to reach your father?"
"If it's an urgent letter, it could arrive the same day..."
"But would sending an urgent letter risk alerting unreliable people?"
"Senpai, are you suggesting there might be a mole?" Louise immediately grasped Anna's implication.
"It's possible. We need to eliminate any chance of mistakes," Anna nodded. "If they find out, they might act sooner... and that would be disastrous, right?"
"Senpai is right! Then I'll disguise it as a regular letter home," Louise agreed with Anna's reasoning. "But it will take a bit longer to arrive."
"Slower is fine, as long as it's safe!" Anna looked at Louise seriously. "As long as we stay steady, everything will be fine."
"Okay!"
After responding, Louise suddenly fell silent.
"Louise?" Anna was puzzled by Louise's sudden silence, then felt Louise pressing even closer.
"Senpai... your body is so soft."
"Eh?"
Anna blinked, her brain still processing Louise's words.
Before she could fully comprehend, Louise's arms were already tightly wrapped around her.
"Louise?"
"Ah!"
Louise seemed to snap out of a dream, quickly stepping back.
"Sorry, Senpai, I just... felt a bit tired, like I wanted to sleep."
Although that's what Louise said, she didn’t show the slightest hint of fatigue in her expression. On the contrary, her eyes were filled with undisguised delight, as if her plan had just succeeded!
••••••••••
What is Better?
1) Senior
2) Senpai