“Hahaha. Yes, this is how I usually talk, Mr. Takumi. However, Mr. Sebastian always rebukes me, saying I should be more careful when serving a duke.”
“I see… And so you’re letting it go now that Sebastian isn’t here…”
“Yes, yes. Something like that.”
Phillip said with a light chuckle as he sat down by the fire.
“Now, Mr. Takumi. It’s time for us to trade places.”
“Yes. I am starting to feel sleepy.”
“Shouldn’t you also get some rest, Lady Claire? Mr. Sebastian will be angry with you again if you aren’t fully recovered tomorrow.”
And so Ms. Claire and I stood up in order to prepare for tomorrow by getting some sleep, just like Phillip suggested.
Even Leo, who had been lying down comfortably as Ms. Claire petted her, also stood up. I supposed she wanted to sleep with me.
As we rose to our feet, Phillip smiled with amusement and said,
“Lady Claire. You really shouldn’t think too much of the past. Sebastian and I work at the mansion because you are there.”
“…Phillip… You were listening to what I said?”
“…What could you be talking about?”
Phillip looked away in order to escape Ms. Claire’s glaring eyes. It was such an obvious attempt at feigning ignorance that I thought he was going to start whistling to himself.
…Apparently, Phillip had been listening to our conversation.
Uh. I hadn’t said anything strange, had I?
The thought of him hearing everything that I said to Ms. Claire was also a little embarrassing.
It was too dark to see clearly, but I hoped that my face wasn’t turning red…
“…Ha… Let’s go then, Ms. Claire.”
“…Indeed… I would like to interrogate Phillip a little further…but from the looks of it, he will not be answering my questions.”
“Yes. Well, then. I leave the watch to you, Phillip.”
“Aye! I’ll protect you, so sleep well!”
And with that, Ms. Claire and I returned to the tents.
Just as Ms. Claire was about to enter the tent, I remembered something and shouted out to her.
She turned around and I walked up to her and took out some herbs from my bag.
“I thought you might want to eat some of this before sleeping.”
It was too dark to see it clearly, but it was black dried flower.
I handed it to Ms. Claire while explaining its effect.
“It’s a herb that helps you sleep well. Eating it before going to bed will cause all of the day’s fatigue to disappear.”
“Is that so? …Was this also made with Weed Cultivation?”
“Yes. I made it while conducting different experiments.”
“…Your research… I hope that it won’t be long before you will tell me all about what you are doing?”
“Yes, of course. It’s nothing that I need to hide. And so I will tell you when we have time.”
“Very well. Good night, Mr. Takumi.”
And then I went to the mens tent.
But when I glanced over my shoulder, I saw that Ms. Claire had not moved, and was eating the herb I had given her.
When she was done, she stepped into her tent.
…I do hope that she feels well tomorrow.
The herb that I had given her. I had made it while thinking of those supplements they used to sell while I was working. They always had these taglines about how effective they would be during those times when you were still tired after sleeping.
I had tried eating it before bed yesterday, and woke up feeling very refreshed.
Though, only trying it once myself was not a guarantee that it would work for everyone, but I felt that it would be fine.
And so I ate some of the herb as well as I entered the tent.
Leo was too big to fit inside, and so I would lay out a blanket on the ground in front for her to sleep on.
Her coat was so long and thick, that I was sure that the cold would not bother her.
I even asked her about it, and Leo nodded that she was all right.
And so I petted her lightly as she rolled up into a ball, and then I got inside of the hemp sleeping bag that was in the tent…
Once inside, I closed my eyes. That’s when Sebastian suddenly called to me.
“Thank you, Mr. Takumi.”
“…Sebastian. You were awake?”
Had Sebastian also been listening in on my conversation with Ms. Claire?
Well, the distance between the tents and the bonfire was not that far, so perhaps they could hear us.
“…Did you hear us then?”
“Yes. I did not think that Lady Claire would eventually feel troubled over the rumor that we servants spread.”
So, Ms. Claire was right. He did feel a degree of responsibility over it.
“I know. Lady Claire does not wish me to feel any responsibility over it. And so we will speak of it no more. But I would still like to thank you for listening to her. I think that being able to confide in someone would have lifted some of the burden from her shoulders.”
I would be happy if just by listening to her, Ms. Claire would feel even a little bit easier.
“Well, then. Good night, Mr. Takumi.”
“Yes. Please rest well until it is your turn to take the watch.”
“I will. I am no longer young, so I will have a difficult time tomorrow if I don’t sleep.”
“Hahaha. But you are still in the prime of life.”
“I do hope so. Hohoho.”
After we laughed over this, we quietly went to sleep.
There were times when you did see Sebastian’s age while looking at him. But he was so energetic… Even today, he had walked through the forest and searched for a camping spot and even helped pitch the tents.
And yet he never showed how tired he was. Clearly he was young enough.
It was with such thoughts that consciousness faded away from me.
…Thanks to the herbs, I was able to fall into a deep, dreamless sleep.
Perhaps these herbs are more effective than those supplements with the suspicious marketing?
I think I will call them good sleep herbs.
The next morning, when I awoke from my sleep, I felt completely refreshed and without feeling anything from the previous day. And so I became sure that the herbs were effective.