Chapter 120 – Shiritori

Gatagoto, gatagoto. Dirkhert is absentmindedly staring in front from the shaking carriage’s driver’s seat.

「Bavarois and Eclair’s tails are swaying~」

There are two butts pulling the carriage right in front of Dirkhert. His gaze naturally turns towards there.
Because their traveling is not hurried, the two animals slowly advance on the highway.

「What a nice weather~ Dirk will sway too~……」
「Dirk-sama, are you sleepy?」

In the driver’s seat, Volsung sits on his right and Meluerina on his left. Dirkhert who’s in the middle sways from side to side. His eyes are half-closed as he must be drowsy.

「N~…… I’m fine, I’m not sleepynyo……」

His mouth is not properly opening. His movements change from swaying to nodding off. No matter how you look, he will fall asleep soon.

「Would you like to take a little nap inside?」
「No, Dirk wants to be outside」

They tried to lift him up and move him inside the carriage, but Dirkhert clings to the driver’s seat.

「It’s dangerous to sleep in the driver’s seat, you know?」
「It’s not dangerousmon, I’m properly awakemon」

He looks in front again while rubbing his eyes.
But, what he sees in front is Bavarois’ and Eclair’s butts and their swaying tails.

「Sway, sway~……」

While his mind is getting pulled to the dreamland, Meluerina supports his body.

「Dirk-sama, let’s go inside?」
「No. Dirk will stay here」

He’s saying such, but if he continues sitting in the driver’s seat, he will be soon defeated and fall asleep. Meluerina can’t think of something that would be this little Maou-sama obediently take a nap or something that would drive away his drowsiness., but Meluerina can’t think of that something.
There, Volsung who’s holding the reins makes a proposal.

「Then, shall we play Shiritori?1 You will surely perk up」
「Shiritori! Let’s do that~!」

Dirkhert becomes lively after hearing Volsung’s words. Certainly, his sleepiness seems to have disappeared.
But, there’s one problem with Shiritori.

「Then, let’s begin with Shiritori’s『Ri』. Apple (Ringo)」
「『Go』…… Burdock (Gobou)」
「Burdock (Gobou) so,『U』……? N~…… Ah!『Usagi-san』!」

The game ended in several seconds.

「Dirk-sama, you have『N』in there」

Being reminded by Meluerina, Dirkhert「Ah, I see~」realizes that he lost.

「Then, let’s start with Usagi’s『Gi』. Brother-in-law-sama, start with『Gi』please」
「『Gi』…… huh. Suspicion (Gishin’anki)」
「『Ki』…… Fox (Kitsune)」
「『Ne』, huuh…… n~tone,『Neko-san』!」

It ended in several seconds again.
Right. Dirkhert is terrifyingly bad at Shiritori. Dirkhert who fundamentally uses name plus『-san』often ends his words with『N』and losing.

「Shiritori, it’s a difficult game, isn’t it~」

Shiritori isn’t difficult, it’s just Dirkhert’s way of speaking is bad. But, because Dirkhert who attaches『-san』to everything and anything is adorable, Meluerina and Volsung don’t correct him.

「Well then, let’s try limiting the words to food this time?」

Meluerina proposes as she knows Dirkhert doesn’t attach『-san』to food that much.
They have begun the Shiritori with words limited to food this time, but……

「Coffee (Kōhī)」
「Chickpea (Hiyokomame)」
「『Me』…… Melon!」

It ended in several seconds even when limited to food.
Apparently, the two judged that their little Maou-sama is not suited for Shiritori, so they have racked their brains to come up with a new game.

 

Footnotes

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiritori