LIGHT NOVEL
LIGHT NOVEL
— Yuinas’s perspective —
When I finished changing and came down to the living room, Tisli was there.
I hadn’t expected her to be up already, so I instinctively hung back.
“Ah, Yuinas. Good morning.”
Tisli turned a smile on me, so I couldn’t very well pretend I hadn’t seen her, and I answered only, “Yeah, morning…”
Truthfully I didn’t even want to meet her eyes, but spying on Tisli’s situation had become my job, so it couldn’t be helped. I wanted to get it over with as quickly as possible, though…
Still, being alone with Tisli in the living room was more than I could stand, so I said,
“I’ll head to the farm ahead. You come later, Tisli.”
Today’s farming experience meant going to the vixen’s—Mia’s—farm, so I knew the destination.
So as I was about to leave the living room, Tisli stopped me with an “Ah, wait, please.”
“We’ll head to Miss Mia’s farm by Magic Vehicle, so there’s no need to hurry.”
“The Magic Vehicle… ah, that thing…”
I muttered, looking at the strange black-painted object visible through the window.
It wasn’t that I cared about being late—I was trying to go ahead because I didn’t want to be alone with Tisli, but…
But I was drawn to the word “Magic Vehicle.”
After all, it’s a new vehicle from the royal capital. I still can’t believe its developer is Tisli, but living out in the sticks like this, the chance to ride a vehicle from the royal capital comes around rarely.
No, rarely isn’t the word… if things went badly I might never lay eyes on one before I die.
So I found myself asking Tisli,
“…You’ll let me ride it?”
“Yes, of course.”
“……………!”
Honestly I’m not all that interested in the Magic Vehicle itself, but just because it’s a vehicle from the royal capital, I can’t help feeling an irresistible allure…!
Ngh… taking me for a country bumpkin and using the Magic Vehicle as bait…!
How underhanded of you, Tisli!
“Th-then… can I ride in that vehicle and wait for big brother?”
Suppressing my pounding heart, I asked, and Tisli readily nodded.
“Yes, that’s fine. There’s air-cooling in the cabin too, so it’s just right.”
“Air-cooling?”
“It’s a device that blows out cold air. Let me see… it’s like there’s a fan installed, and its wind is a bit cold.”
“A fan’s wind, cold…?”
“Well, you’ll understand once you ride it. Let’s go.”
“Eh, ah… hold on?!”
My whole aim was to not be alone with Tisli, yet Tisli pressed ahead on her own and headed for the Magic Vehicle.
So with no choice, I left the house too and followed after Tisli.
“So this is… the Magic Vehicle…”
When big brother and Tisli had pulled up in it, I’d only thought it was an oddly shaped cart, so I hadn’t paid it much mind, but…
Looking at it anew, now that I knew it was a vehicle from the royal capital, it positively radiated an air of luxury.
“For now, Yuinas, please get in the passenger seat.”
“Huh? Ah… okay.”
Tisli opened the Magic Vehicle’s door, so I climbed inside as told.
“Th-this… is a seat? So fluffy…”
As I marveled, Tisli, getting into the seat beside me, explained,
“There are times you ride for long stretches, after all. So I made it more cushioned.”
“H-huh…? H-hold on? Cold air’s coming out of this little hole…?!”
“Yes, that’s the air-cooling.”
“There’s no fan installed anywhere?!”
“Picture a small fan installed inside that hole.”
“And anyway, why is the wind cold?!”
“That’s because I’m making it cold with magic.”
W-with magic…
Is there nothing this woman can’t do? Limited to this small cabin or not, to be able to control even the climate…
Within a minute of the Magic Vehicle’s door closing, the cabin was wrapped in cool air. The seat was comfortable too, and in summer it might be more pleasant to make this a living space. I could see why she’d made the Magic Vehicle the waiting spot—but…
No, like I keep saying, I don’t want to be alone with Tisli!
I’d fallen right into Tisli’s scheme! Lured by the bait of a vehicle from the royal capital!
And Tisli, wearing that same smile, said,
“Shall we take it for a little drive?”
“Eh… can we?!”
“Yes, I’d planned to go to the farmland by Magic Vehicle anyway.”
And then, when Tisli turned something near her hand, we were suddenly enveloped in a deep, low rumble.
“Whoa?! Wh-what?!”
“I started the engine. It’s safe, so there’s no need to panic.”
“B-b-but?! This cart is growling or something?! What’s going on?!”
“Let me see… then I’ll explain how the Magic Vehicle works as we drive.”
When Tisli said that, the Magic Vehicle slowly began to move.
“I-it’s moving…!”
Unlike a wagon’s start, it was utterly smooth. That this gliding movement was a vehicle—even riding in it I couldn’t believe it.
To the astonished me, Tisli said,
“Shall we make a loop around the nearby farms?”
And the Magic Vehicle accelerated steadily.
“F-fast…!”
At this point a wagon’s no contest. No, a wagon isn’t built for speed to begin with… if you rode a horse you might reach about this speed, but how does a lump of iron like this match a horse’s pace…?!
As I gaped, looking out the window, Tisli had begun her explanation.
“—in short, small explosions keep occurring inside what’s called the engine, and that’s used as propulsion.”
“Explosions?! I-is that safe?!”
“Heh… of course it’s safe. Multiple layers of safety measures are in place, after all. But…”
“Wh-what?”
“No, that reaction… I just thought it’s exactly like Alde’s.”
“We’re siblings, so of course it is…!”
Ngh…
To think that Tisli and big brother once had this same exchange, just the two of them—it makes me so angry…!
When I, too, want to ride the Magic Vehicle with big brother someday and go see all sorts of places!
“Oh, I know, Yuinas.”
As I was feeling angry, Tisli said with a smile,
“Would you like to try driving the Magic Vehicle sometime?”
“Huh?”
“Alde was interested in driving, so I taught him—how about you, Yuinas?”
“C-can I?!”
“Yes, of course.”
If I can successfully pair up Tisli and Lily, a fortune comes my way. Then even buying a Magic Vehicle might not be a pipe dream.
In that case, if I grit my teeth now and learn to drive, then someday, truly, together with big brother—!!
Once that happens, this woman will have outlived her use, so I’ll send her packing back to the royal capital, and big brother and I could go to a city on par with the royal capital and live there, just the two of us—that might be nice.
It’d be a step down compared to the royal capital, but the royal capital is this one’s hometown, so come to think of it, moving there is out of the question.
With a Magic Vehicle, we can go anywhere…!
As I was thinking that, the loop around the farms ended, and when we got back in front of the house, I nodded with a face like I’d bitten into something bitter.
“I want to drive too, so teach me sometime…”
“Really…?!”
“Why are you the one surprised?”
“Ah… sorry. I was so sure you’d hate being taught by me…”
“Of course I hate it! But you’re the only one who can drive, so I’ve got no choice but to be taught by you!”
“Huh?”
“What? Making a weird face.”
“No… it’s nothing.”
And then Tisli leaned over from the driver’s seat and grabbed both my hands.
“It’s a promise, all right? I’ll definitely be the one to teach you, all right?”
“Y-yeah… I know…”
“Otherwise, I won’t lend you the Magic Vehicle…?”
“I get it already!”
Why she was hammering the point home so hard, I didn’t really understand, but…
Before I could notice it, Tisli opened the Magic Vehicle’s door.
“Then it’s a promise ♪ Ah, it’s about time, so I’d better go fetch Alde.”
“Y-yeah… I’ll stay in the Magic Vehicle. It’s cool in here.”
“Understood ♪”
And then Tisli, for some reason in very high spirits, headed back to the house—
—and a few minutes later, I realized.
What Tisli had said earlier—”Alde was interested in driving, so I taught him.”
……….
……………
……………………
“That means big brother can drive too?!”
Then I could’ve just had big brother teach me!
“But she said she won’t lend me the Magic Vehicle unless it’s Tisli!”
If I hadn’t made that weird promise, knowing that woman she’d have lent me the Magic Vehicle normally!
“I-I-I’ve been triiicked—!!”
And so, alone in the Magic Vehicle, I held my head in my hands…
(To be continued—)
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