=== Chloé & Citrinne ===
--- C ---




[Citrinne]
Why hello, Chloé. Fancy meeting you here.
[Chloé]
Hi there, Citrinne. I'm just here picking up
some lunch.
[Chloé]
You can only get it at this street stall, but the
taste is worth the trip. It's my favorite.
[Citrinne]
Really? If it's as delicious as you say, I'd like to
try some for myself.
[Citrinne]
Here. I'll treat you. Excuse me, sir? I'll take
everything you have, please.
[Chloé]
The whole stock?!
[Citrinne]
Don't fret about the money. This way, if we
have extra, we can share with the others.
[Citrinne]
Thank you for wrapping all of that, sir. Here's a
little more gold for your trouble.
[Citrinne]
Huh? Are these...
[Chloé]
It's folk food! Salt-pickled fish guts, in this case.
[Citrinne]
Oh. How, uh...charming.
[Chloé]
Oh, sorry. I love this stuff, but it might be too
much for you to handle.
[Citrinne]
No, no. One mustn't show prejudice toward
food without trying it first.
[Citrinne]
Here, Chloé. Your portion.
[Chloé]
Wow, you're letting me have almost all of it.
Thank you so much!
[Citrinne]
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have somewhere
to be.
[Chloé]
Must be important. You look pretty serious all
of a sudden.
[Citrinne]
It is important. Well, to me it is. Take care.
[Chloé]
Will do. And thanks for treating me to a heaping
helping of my favorite folk food!
--- B ---




[Citrinne]
Hello again, Chloé. Is that folk food you're
eating?
[Chloé]
Yep. This boiled frog is super good. You should
try some!
[Citrinne]
Ah, no, thank you. I just had a rather large
lunch.
[Citrinne]
Uh...
[Citrinne]
Chloé. You came from money, didn't you?
[Chloé]
Yeah. My parents are nobles, anyway.
[Citrinne]
We have that in common.
[Citrinne]
I am a noble as well─related to the royal family,
in fact. I have never wanted for anything.
[Citrinne]
And yet...
[Chloé]
Hmm?
[Citrinne]
Tell me. How did you become a retainer?
[Chloé]
Well, I took the knighthood exam, and then
I passed, and then I got this job.
[Citrinne]
Wonderful. That means you possess the skills
required of a retainer.
[Chloé]
I don't know how it works where you're from,
but you're a retainer for a royal family too.
[Citrinne]
I became a retainer not by virtue alone, but due
to my family connections.
[Chloé]
And that feels wrong to you?
[Citrinne]
If it were only a matter of wounded pride,
I would not feel troubled.
[Citrinne]
But...my physical weakness could be a liability
for His Highness.
[Citrinne]
So...I can't help but dwell on it.
[Chloé]
I see.
[Citrinne]
Forgive me, but I must be going. I have
somewhere to be once again.
[Chloé]
All right. It was nice chatting with you. See you
around, Citrinne.
--- A ---


[Citrinne]
Ha!
[Citrinne]
No. This will not do.
[Citrinne]
I must practice and strengthen myself.
[Citrinne]
Only then can I protect those I care about.
[Citrinne]
Hyuh!

[Chloé]
Good shot! You were right on target.
[Citrinne]
Chloé? What are you doing here?
[Citrinne]
Are you lost?
[Chloé]
Nope. I know I shouldn't have, but I followed
you to see what you were up to.
[Chloé]
Every time you have somewhere important
to be, you come back covered in mud.
[Citrinne]
Aha. You were worried about me.
[Citrinne]
I'm sorry.
[Chloé]
Don't be.
[Chloé]
Now I know what the big deal was. You were
getting in some extra magic training!
[Citrinne]
Yes, that's right.
[Citrinne]
As I said, I became a retainer through filial
connections. I lack the skill required.
[Citrinne]
I do some extra training every day to make up
for that deficit─to build my strength.
[Citrinne]
I wasn't trying to keep these sessions a secret.
I merely...avoid drawing attention to them.
[Chloé]
I wish you'd just told me. Then I could've
helped you out!
[Citrinne]
You would do that?
[Chloé]
Sure I would. We're friends, aren't we?
[Citrinne]
Thank you, Chloé.
[Chloé]
Besides, folk food tastes even better after a
good bout of training. You'll see!
[Citrinne]
Hehe, is that right?
[Citrinne]
Who knew there was a way to make fish guts
taste even better!
--- S ---