Trails with Cuddle-Cuddle Osbon
Translator: Tsukii
Editor: Helen
Read at Watashi wa Sugoi Desu!
Author Note:
It’s a story about the twins (mainly the younger sister) whom I suddenly thought of and posted.
The timeline is out of sync with the field study and quest, but please ignore it since there is a Deus Ex Machina tag.
Thank you for the typo reports as always.
Chapter 037 – Fufufu, son. Have You Ever Seen Twins?
Rean was fishing without any bait in the pond behind the gardening club Fie was a member of.
This time, he wasn’t in the mood to fish, but just did it as a way to focus on his thoughts and thoughts.
A day passed since Rosine’s strange incident (or so Rean called it).
Rean visited the church and asked the parish priest and nun there about Rosine, but he didn’t achieve much success.
On the contrary, the people he asked there were surprised when he told them he had trained Rosine in using a Templar sword.
Rosine said she received the Templar Sword while helping out the church, though……
[“Fufufu, it seemed they are aware that she received the Templar sword, but considering they had no idea that she actually used it, Miss Rosine might not have told the church about that.”]
The training of using Templar swords was done under the pretext of supporting data collection of Divine Knight, but it felt like there was a lack of communication between Rosine and the church in that regard.
Considering Rosine’s personality, it was hard to think that she would actually neglect making reports. It meant Rosine was training in secret, without telling the people of the church.
If so, why was that? Rean’s thoughts got stuck there.
If the other party was someone unrelated to him, Rean would barge in and expose it without hesitation, but he didn’t want to do something like that to Rosine.
As Rean was pondering this, a voice called out to him.
“You’re Rean Schwarzer-kun, right?”
“Yes?”
When Rean turned around, he saw a pink-haired girl peering into his empty bucket.
The green uniform identified her as a commoner student, and her hair was long enough to hang down over her back.
Rean had seen her distinctive appearance before when he ran the Thors Marathon.
“You are Linde, aren’t you?”
“Eh……? Yes, yep, yep. That’s right. I’m Linde.”
When Rean asked, the girl looked puzzled for a moment, then immediately nodded.
Her hair was wet, probably because she had just taken a shower. The pleasant scent of shampoo tickled Rean’s nostrils.
Seeing the mischievous expression that flashed in her eyes for just a moment, Rean thought, was Linde supposed to be that kind of person? And as he tried to dig up his memories——
“Well, anyway, what are you doing? It seems you haven’t caught anything today.”
“No, I just caught one.”
“Heh?”
“Even though no bait is placed there, it’s a lively fish that bites on, on its own.”
Rean reeled in his fishing pole, showing that only a line was hanging on it. As Linde pondered on Rean’s words, she let out a silly sound.
It seemed she realized the fish Rean spoke of was her.
Seeing Linde puffed out her cheeks in dissatisfaction, Rean changed his impression of her, thinking that she was a girl whose expression changed a lot.
“Muu, you’re a mean person, as your impression suggests.”
“Sorry, sorry, I just want to try out that phrase. So, is there anything I can help you with?”
“Eh, aah. I was just curious. Recently, a girl in my club was talking a lot about you. So I had been watching you from afar, but I felt there’s a discrepancy between what she told me and the rumors, so I got curious.”
“So you went out of your way and greeted me. I guess you’re pretty bored or something.”
“Eeh, well, something like that. So Rean……-san’s first catch seems to be me, so what will you do?”
Linde embraced herself tightly.
“I’m going to get eaten~” said the girl, but both of them knew it was a joke, so Rean spoke with a fed-up voice——
“Let’s see. I don’t mind releasing it as is, but since it’s a good catch, I guess I’ll have to take it in my custody.”
“Heh?”
＊
As Rean arrived at the boutique Le Sage, he was planning to give a present to Rosine while listening to Linde’s advice.
Linde browsed through a store filled with a variety of clothing, trying out different items and seeming to enjoy her shopping.
“When you said you will take me into custody, I wondered if the rumor of you being a womanizer was true, but if this is the kind of advice you are asking of me, I’ll be happy to help.”
“Sorry, I’ve sent presents to my younger sister before, but this is the first time I’ve given one to someone my age. Besides, Rosine seems to accept everything, but that makes it all the more difficult.”
“She often helps out at the church, after all. I’m impressed that she can get up so early every day.”
“You know her?”
“Although we are in different classes, a student that helps out at the church is rare, after all, so she often comes up in conversations quite a bit. Besides, Rosine is pretty.”
“I understand that.”
“Hm~ what do you think of this combination?”
Rean vigorously agreed to the remark about Rosine and looked at the clothes Linde picked up.
At the moment, Rean wondered if Rosine would ever wear anything other than her school uniform and nun outfit.
Rosine wouldn’t refuse if he gave her a present, but Rean started to think if he was to give one, it would be better to give something that could help solve her problem.
“Well, I’m sorry after you helped choose, but can we give something other than clothes?”
“Why?”
Rean explained his reason to the dissatisfied Linde.
To his surprise, Linde nodded obediently.
[“Hou, I thought she behaved like girls of her age, but she’s surprisingly obedient.”]
{“In the first place, it’s weird to ask someone one met for the first time to help choose presents for others.”}
Valimar seemed to have come to understood the subtleties of human nature quite well.
“But, regarding Rosine-san’s worry…… while we are from different classes and I didn’t talk much with her, it seems she has her own issues too.”
“So even from the perspective of a student of another class, does Rosine seem like a person with no worries?”
“Yes. She’s kind to everyone and even if it’s extreme, she will accept it to a certain extent……Yes, I think it would be better if Rean-san chose the present personally.”
“That makes me worry……”
“For the time being, could you tell me how you first met Rosine-san and the things you’ve talked about so far?”
Linde couldn’t hide the curious look in her eyes.
While scratching his cheek, Rean continued to talk about memories with Rosine, without mentioning Osbon.
“Amazing, I have no idea you had such an adolescence without me knowing!”
Linde’s eyes sparkled as if she had mistaken it for a love story.
She forgot her polite language and reverted to her natural self.
But she quickly regained her composure and led Rean to the area where sneakers were placed.
“This is?” asked Rean with his eyes, and Linde began to explain.
“I don’t know much about the two of you, but Rosine-san was focused on training with Rean-san, right? In that case, I thought things like shoes would wear out……”
Objects would wear out if one kept using it.
Consumption of exercise equipment was particularly high.
Even Rean, a martial artist, understood this well.
After all, his favorite tachi was ruined last month and his clothes often got torn to shreds.
Linde had a point.
Fortunately, although he didn’t observe specifically, his observation skills were superior to those of the average person and he knew the size of Rosine’s boots.
“These kinds of things are not related to me, though,” said Linde while laughing jokingly.
“Thanks, I might as well get her a good one from the Strega brand.”
“Wah, you’re rich.”
Linde’s eyes widened at the price of the boots he picked up.
Since he was a child, Rean had earned sepith by slaying monsters as a form of training, and as part of his marathon runs, he also completed all sorts of requests from Ymir, combined with the fact that he had no hobbies involving wasting money, Rean possessed a decent amount of money.
His wallet was thick enough that he could easily take out over ten thousand mira.
After paying the fee and having the boots placed in the box, Rean picked up the bag containing them and turned to Linde.
“Thanks, then can I ask you for one more thing?”
“U~hn, well, since I already came with you this far, I’ll accompany you.”
“That helps.”
With that said, Rean headed to a gardening shop in town.
There, Rean bought some flower seeds and gave them to Linde.
“Eh, Rean-san……?”
“If you don’t mind, you can grow it at the gardening club…… You’re Vivi, right?”
“…………If you’re going to reveal it, then at least remember my name. But when did you notice it?”
“I didn’t notice at first, but I had a chance to talk to Linde before. She seemed timid and not as proactive like you are. Above all, she was scared of me.”
Rean recalled the time when he went to deliver something to Clara of the art club.
When he visited as part of student council volunteer activities, he exchanged a quick greeting with Gaius and called out to Linde, who seemed to have heard the rumors about Rean, as she displayed an adorable expression of fright, like a small animal.
As he thought about it, he thought it was strange for a girl like that to suddenly call out to him.
When Rean explained the reason to Linde—— or the twin sister who pretended to be her, named Vivi, she covered her face as if he had tricked her.
“To think you have known her beforehand…… I mean, you always run around Thors, so I guess it’s obvious.”
“I’m not exactly acquainted with her. If I called out to her, she might get scared even now.”
“Hm~ I don’t think so, you know? Linde seemed concerned about her behavior back then, after all.”
“Is it so?”
“In the first place, it was Linde who inspired me to call out to Rean-kun.”
According to Vivi, Linde had heard about Rean from Gaius, who was also in the art club, and the fact she took the rumor at face value and didn’t see Rean in person bothered her.
She wanted to apologize, but she didn’t have the courage…… as such, Vivi stepped in and called out to Rean.
“It was actually a coincidence, though. I got dirty during gardening club, so I took a shower and when I came back, Rean was there, so I just acted on impulse.”
“I see. By the way, the reason I was able to identify you was because I heard of you from Fie. She said the younger twin is affiliated to the gardening club, while the older twin is at the art club.”
“Fie-chan did that? She seems quite conscious of you, but it seems you two get along well. I guess rumors are unreliable, after all~”
“Despite that, you act quite impulsively, don’t you?”
“Ahahah, well, it seems like the misunderstanding has been cleared up, so isn’t it okay now? But why did you give me seeds as a present? Not flowers, I mean.”
“I have to feed the fish I catch, after all.”
“Hooray~ it’s food~ Hey, that’s not right!”
Vivi raised her hands in joy for just a moment and then immediately burst out screaming. It was quite an interesting reaction.
“If you’re talking about the present, it should be more, you know, how about we return to ‘Le Sage’? There are some clothes I wanted…… Rean-kun seems rich, so you can afford it, right?”
“You became vulgar right away…… I splurged on sneakers because it’s a present for Rosine. Besides, wouldn’t it be awkward to receive clothes from a man you just met?”
“We never met before, but we got to know each other now, so it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say we’re acquainted, right?”
“It’s an exaggeration.”
“Che~ Though I guess rumors are just rumors, after all. It’s just that I’ve never thought you’d be such an interesting person.”
“Was it really interesting?”
“Yes, in a lot of ways.”
As Vivi smiled, Rean thought back on his actions but couldn’t think of anything like that.
Dad, did I do something special?
[“Fufufu, son. The feelings of a young girl is the most mysterious thing in the world.”]
You sound pathetic despite saying that confidently.
As they were having such a conversation, in front of the flower shop, Rean noticed that a female clerk was staring at Vivi.
Maybe we’re being a nuisance to the store, thought Rean and as he was about to leave with Vivi, the store clerk brought out some flowers and handed them to Vivi.
“Sorry for noticing it late, here is the snow lily you ordered.”
“Eh……?”
“You are Linde from the art club, right? I remember because you’re a cute girl.”
“Ah, err, my name is Vivi. Linde is my elder twin.”
“Oh my, is that so? I’m sorry that I misunderstood.”
“Hearing what you said earlier, does that mean you received an order from Linde?”
“Yes. I had heard she would be coming to collect it, so I just assumed you came to do just that……”
“Linde might have been so engrossed in her painting that she forgot. Ah, then I’ll deliver it to her.”
“Oh, is that okay?”
“I was planning on visiting my sister after this, anyway.”
“I see, thank you. I have already received the payment, so please just take it.”
After thanking the clerk, the two headed towards the art room of Thors Military Academy.
Since it would be a while before Rosine finished helping out at the church, Rean decided to accompany Vivi.
“Since I’m already here, I might as well use this opportunity to solve the misunderstanding your younger sister has of me,” said Rean, to which Vivi agreed.
When they arrived at the art room, a girl was painting an oil painting while Clara was working silently.
Her focus on her work was typical of an art club member, but Linde seemed to be quite a scatterbrain as she was so focused that she forgot the item she ordered.
“Linde~ still drawing~?”
“Oh my, Vivi…… also, ah.”
“E~rr, should I say it’s been a while?”
“Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!”
“Noisy. It disturbs the work.”
When Linde screamed, Clara threw a chisel at her.
Since it was intended as a warning, Linde wasn’t in trajectory, but Rean still judged it to be dangerous and quickly inserted his index and middle fingers into the throw trajectory and caught the chisel.
It was easy for him to see through that level of speed.
“Oops.”
“Uwah, you’re amazing, Rean-kun!”
“……………Eh?”
“Vivi, why don’t you give it to her now?”
With that, Rean handled the chisel between his fingers back to Clara.
Clara was interested in Rean’s movement for just a moment, but then she quickly took the returned chisel and became absorbed in her work.
I guess that could be considered a pinnacle of craftsmanship, in a sense, thought Rean as he felt sympathy at Clara’s single-minded determination to push forward to her goal. Rean was encouraged and determined to work hard and become stronger.
By the time Rean returned to the twins, Linde had apparently received a full explanation from Vivi and was looking at Rean with a timid expression from her chair.
“Ah, um, Rean-san……”
While fidgeting and squirming, Rean waited for Linde to speak.
Vivi looked at her sister’s behavior with amusement, thinking how cute she was.
“I’m apologize about be——”
“I told you you’re noisy.”
As Rean dealt with more thrown chisels, Rean comforted the depressed Linde as they left the art room.
Although Rean was a little fed up with Vivi who laughed at everything, as they moved to another location, Linde bowed to Rean.
“Once again, I’m sorry for causing you such inconvenience before……”
“No, I don’t mind. But I’ll accept your apology. U~hn, even so, the real thing really does give off a certain vibe in the way you speak?”
“What do you mean―?”
“Even though Vivi imitated Linde, her true personality still shows up here and there, after all.”
“Oops.”
“Besides, there’s also the snow lily……”
“In a way, that’s thanks to Vivi. Maybe because the two of you are twins? The clerk mistook Vivi for Linde and we got to know about it from there.”
“Since it’s Linde, there are times that she intends to pick it up after the club activity, only to find out that the shop is already closed.”
“I-It’s not that bad……you know……」
Since her voice gradually became quieter, it seemed she must be aware of this herself.
Smiling wryly at the sight, Rean changed the subject.
“Well then, I’ll take my leave now. I might come to visit again to ask about Gaius, so please take care of me then.”
“Yes, I would like to talk to you again at that time.”
“Aah, I guess the two of us sisters both got hooked……”
“Hooked……?”
“Ufu, today, Rean-kun caught me and we went around the town together.”
“Eh, isn’t that……?”
“Hey, I already went through the effort to get the conversation back on track, so don’t make it worse.”
“Ahah, sorry, sorry. Well, I’ll tell you what happened today in detail.”
“Geez. See you later, the both of you. Your advice was very helpful, Vivi.”
“Yes, please take care of Rosine-san.”
After waving at Vivi, who gave him thumbs up, and Linde, who bowed deeply, Rean headed off to the church.
Rean waited until Rosine finished helping out then gave her the present.
Although Rean was unable to find out what was bothering Rosine, seeing her smile made him change his mind and he thought that maybe he could resolve the issue slowly instead.
Author Note:
I’m terribly sorry for those who expected scenes with Linde in this chapter.
It was more of a meeting chapter, so maybe she will have an appearance in Gaius’s chapter, like Paula in Jusis’s chapter.
Maybe.
Want early access to Cannon Fodder, Melancholy of the Demon Army Officer, and I Was a Man Before Reincarnating, So I Refuse a Reverse Harem? Support the translator on Patreon!
