I’m Just a Counselor Chapter 56

Estella lowered her voice as she spoke, a little sheepishly. I lowered my voice as well, feeling nervous.

 

“What?”

 

“I’m saying that if you go to the islands, men will approach you..!”

 

…That doesn’t sound like something that would happen to Estella, not me, does it?

 

I blinked shakily, my heart racing. I’d bet my last dollar that when Estella makes her debut in the system, she’ll have a truckload of guys courting her.

 

   I’ll be a mere pebble next to her.

 

No, with Jeremiah around, I’m not even a rock.

 

I laughed hollowly, dismissing Estella’s words as unnecessary worry, but she spoke more seriously.

 

“I don’t care what those men say, sister, you must not fall for them; I have no intention of sending you to any man less than my brother!”

 

“Don’t you think your standards are too high for a duke?”

 

“You’ve lowered them a lot, haven’t you?”

 

I finally burst out laughing at Estella’s credulity.

 

“You’re Estella, you don’t just let anyone hit on you. Do you understand?”

 

“Of course not! I won’t even look at a man who’s less than you.”

 

“Well, since my standard is the Duke, Estella’s is um… Estella’s is Shane.”

 

“Mr. Shane? Eh, he’s not that kind of guy. You’re much better.”

 

And that’s how Estella and I were laughing and talking. Someone knocked on the door.

 

Estella motioned for him to come in, and the door opened to reveal Sir Melvin’s face.

 

He looked at Estella and bowed slightly before speaking.

 

“My lady, are you all ready to go? I think we should be on our way.”

 

The carriage had apparently been inspected. I rose at Sir Melvin’s word.

 

I gathered a warm shawl and blanket to keep me warm on the way, straightened my clothes, and offered Estella my hand.

 

“Shall we go, then, my lady?”

 

“Yes!”

 

Estella smiled brightly and took my hand. The pleasant excitement of our first trip passed through her hand and into mine.

 

* * *

 

When we got outside, Jeremiah was waiting for us.

 

He first checked to make sure Estella was warm enough, then wrapped his arms around his sister’s body and offered her his best wishes.

 

“If you feel uncomfortable on the way, tell me right away.”

 

“Yeah, okay.”

 

“Even if you think something’s wrong. Okay?”

 

Jeremiah said a few times. From his point of view, he couldn’t help but worry about Estella. It’s his sister’s first institutionalization, after all.

 

Besides, he still thinks she was sick.

 

Still, it’s only a six-hour carriage ride, so why go to all that trouble? Where is this Siscom thing going?

 

He stopped nagging just as I was growing impatient. It was because Estella was getting impatient.

 

“Okay, I’m fine, so stop it.”

 

“…Okay, then I guess I’ll just have to trust Miss Vanessa.”

 

Jeremiah mumbled something about being yelled at by his sister and then glanced over at me. He probably meant to tell me to do my job properly, right?

 

I nodded, meeting Jeremiah’s gaze.

 

I’m in the same carriage as Estella, or rather, I thought I was in the same carriage as the others.

 

“I feel like I’m going back to gold.”

 

I blinked at the large, luxurious carriage.

 

Home… Well, I suppose it’s a homecoming, since I was born in the Isles.

 

“I assume Viscount Asell is long gone?”

 

The manor was sold to the Earl of Huons. I’m sure the Earl has sold it by now… but even if someone else lives there, I’d still like to visit it if it’s still there.

 

I don’t even remember much of the interior now, but it was once my home.

 

‘Maybe I’ll talk to Jeremiah about it later.’

 

As I was thinking this, a hand suddenly reached out in front of me.

 

“……?”

 

“What are you doing?”

 

It was Jeremiah, the man who had helped Estella into the carriage.

 

I glanced back and forth between his large hand and his face, which showed a hint of impatience, and cautiously offered him my hand. Jeremiah squeezed it tightly and helped me climb into the carriage.

 

Before I took my seat across from Estella and closed the carriage door, he asked me.

 

“Miss Vanessa, if you ever feel uncomfortable, let me know.”

 

“I will. Thank you for your concern.”

 

“I don’t only care about Estella.”

 

“What are you talking about?”

 

Jeremiah slammed the carriage door shut while I stared wide-eyed at him.

 

The interior of the carriage was as luxurious as the exterior: the cushions on the back and buttocks were plush, and there were several cushions scattered about. There was even a blanket… Well, I guess I didn’t need to pack it.

 

“I guess they have these things to eat if you get bored on the way.”

 

Estella opened a box in the corner and pulled out the snacks inside.

 

There were bread and cookies in the box, as well as juice and tea. The food was all either hot or cold, thanks to a gemstone on one side of the box that maintained the food’s temperature.

 

“Is this like a limousine refrigerator…?”

 

Estella gave me a subtle look, as if she had thought of something similar.

 

“Would you like something to drink first?”

 

“I’ll just have water, something warm.”

 

“Here.”

 

Handing me the warm water, Estella took a cookie from the box, popped it in her mouth, grabbed another orange juice, and sat back in her chair.

 

As we waited for our departure, I heard a click on one of the carriage walls.

 

“Uh, what’s that…?”

 

“There’s another window here. It must lead to the coachman’s seat.”

 

Estella found the window above my head and opened it, and Shane’s face popped out.

 

“Shane! Why are you out there?”

Shane exclaimed cheerfully, laughing off my panic.

 

“Come on. Hold on tight, ladies, because the carriage is starting.”

 

“Shane’s driving? No, more than that, how the hell are you going to drive a carriage…?”

 

“Yep. I’ll drive it, ladies, comfortably and safely.”

 

“Then what the hell are you doing telling me to hold on tight, nervously.”

 

Shane winked at me, who was looking up at him nervously, and then shut the window with a vengeance.

 

“…….”

 

“Well, I’ll hold off on eating for now…”

 

Estella mumbled as she put the cookie down.

 

It’s not that she doesn’t think Shane can’t drive, but why does she have this nagging feeling?

 

“There aren’t even seatbelts in here.”

 

Instead, I hugged the cushions tightly. I had a feeling we’d be doing this for the next six hours.

 

* * *

 

After more than three hours of traveling, we passed through the Loasen Wharf gate and the scenery changed instantly.

 

I washed down my mild nausea with water and opened the car window to look out. Beside me, Estella poked her head out curiously.

 

The winter landscape of the archipelago was very different from that of Loasen, where the world was covered in a blanket of pure white snow.

 

The winds were decidedly less chilly than in the north. The ground is parched and the leaves still green.

 

“I don’t think it’s snowed here at all.”

 

The knight riding beside the carriage chuckled softly at Estella’s comment.

 

“Unlike in Loasen, we don’t get much snow here. There’s a joke that the skies of Loasen scrape away all the snow clouds in the archipelago.”

 

“Oh, really?”

 

“But the average temperature is warmer, which has its advantages and disadvantages. It’s said that this weather is a little too hot for northerners. I suppose that’s true for you, too, isn’t it?”

 

“I suppose so.”

 

I shrugged a little as I listened to the knight’s words. The weather felt just right to me right now.

 

I guess I’m an islander after all, even if I’ve spent a lot of time up north.