Ingrained Manners

TL: Cannongerbil

Editor: Striker, Xenthur

“What should we eat today? Lynn, what do you think?”

As usual, I called up the waitress with the biggest breasts in the guild’s tavern and asked for Lynn’s order.

“Hmm, well, I think I’ll have my usual salad.”

Lynn gently returned the menu to the table with a soft smile.

Her unexpected demeanour caused me, Taylor and Keith to freeze up.

We quietly traded glances. Everyone had looks of astonishment on their faces.

Once the salad was brought to her, she used a fork and knife to slice it up into small, bite-sized pieces, daintily brought those pieces to her mouth, and finally chewed slowly before swallowing.

She wiped the tiny drops of dressing that got stuck to her lips with a handkerchief and took a sip of water.

…This is creepy.

Normally, she’d just stick a fork in it and start gobbling it up without paying any mind to what others would think. What is she putting on airs for?

We wordlessly turned around on our seats and huddled together.

“W-What’s going on here? Is Lynn feeling sick today?”

“Her back is completely straight too, it’s like watching an entirely different person eat.”

“She didn’t get replaced by another person yet again, right?”

A shiver went down my spine upon hearing Keith’s question.

He must be talking about Princess Leonor, who had been masquerading as Lynn just a short while ago.

Looking back at her, that style of eating certainly did seem like what the nobility and royalty did during official events. It is an elegant and pointlessly tedious way of eating.

Thinking that she had switched places again made me want to run away for an instant, but that idea was swiftly dispersed.

“That’s not possible, I think. You know, apologies to Lynn, but, her chest…”

Taylor sheepishly said while glancing at Lynn’s chest.

Keith and I followed his gaze… And that chest definitely belongs to Lynn. It’s possible to increase your bust size with padding and the like, but there’s no way she could’ve shrunk her chest down to that size.

“What’s wrong, you guys? If you don’t start eating soon, your food will get cold. Seeing grown men huddle together like that is kinda creepy, you know?”

And her mercilessly direct way of speaking is definitely Lynn’s style.

Now that I look back again, she’s back to her usual way of eating.

What was with her needlessly elegant way of eating just a moment ago?

“S-Say, Lynn, you don’t have a fever, do you? Or maybe you’re feeling under the weather… Ack, sorry!”

Apparently, Taylor was more taken aback than he seemed, as he accidentally toppled the mug of beer on the table.

It flowed toward Lynn and flooded the entire table. I braced myself for the cursing and burst of magic to follow… But nothing came.

Fearfully looking towards Lynn, she was simply smiling quietly.

“Oh, it’s fine, please don’t worry about it. Ah, no wait, erm, this is fine, right?”

“What happened to you!? Where did the usual violent and quick to anger Lynn go? Right now it’s like I’m talking to a normal, upper-class woman!”

I grabbed Lynn by the shoulders and shook her, and she simply smiled at me and stood up.

Then, she picked up her staff and pointed the tip at my head.

“Right, die.”

“W-W-Wait a minute! I’m joking! I’m joking, Lynn-sama.”

“Calm down, Lynn, he could’ve phrased it in a better way, but you still were acting strange.”

“Yeah, yeah, you’re not that refined a woman… Well, what Dust said!”

As we desperately tried to calm her down, Lynn slowly lowered her staff and sat back into her seat

With her crossed arms and her glowering looks, this is definitely the usual Lynn.

“I wondered what was going on… Sigh, you know, I had to pick up aristocratic manners on short notice back then, so whenever I let my guard down, it tends to show up. ‘If it isn’t properly ingrained into you, you’ll slip up,’ the butler said, so he made me practice all the time.”

With an exasperated look on her face, Lynn let out a huge sigh.

Oh, that bearded butler, huh? He’s been dealing with Princess Leonor’s selfishness for more than a decade now. That butler was a big reason why that wild princess was able to put out an image of being a proper lady in front of others.

With a butler like that in charge of her instruction, I suppose this isn’t surprising.

I also underwent a bit of training when I had to accompany the Princess to a dinner party as her escort. Just thinking of how harsh that training was made me shudder.

“Lynn, you’ve sure been through a lot. It’s my treat today, just focus on resting your body and soul.”

I wiped my eyes and said those kind words.

“L-Lynn, what happened to you over there…? Don’t tell me…”

“After being captured by evil aristocrats and held hostage… Well… Sorry for not realizing it sooner. You can take a break from questing for a while. We’ll be able to manage on our own. Of course, we’ll split the money with you evenly.”

The other two followed my lead and treated Lynn with kindness.

“A-Aren’t you letting your imaginations run wild? They didn’t do anything to me! You said you’ll treat me and all, but isn’t that the money that I lent you!? Cut it out already, don’t give me those pitying looks!”

Lynn tried her best to excuse herself, but we continued to treat her with kindness.

Epilogue

Short story 2

Dust Spinoff directory