It’s been about an hour since Lilia-san left, looking out of character, and now I’m walking the streets of Rigforeshia by myself.
After Lilia-san and Lunamaria-san left, Rei-san and Fia-san seemed to have regained their composure and offered to show us around the city, albeit with an unusually high level of tension.
For some reason, though, they wanted Sieg-san and me to go out alone. After forcefully pushing this arrangement, Rei-san and Fia-san ended up guiding Kusonoki-san and Yuzuki-san, while Sieg-san was supposed to be my guide. So, I was meant to walk around the city with Sieg-san, but…
As expected, Sieg-san’s behavior was a bit odd. She seemed worried about Lilia-san and Lunamaria-san, so I told her I was just going to take a stroll around the neighborhood and that it was fine for her to check on them. Sieg-san hesitated at first, but in the end, she decided to go to where Lilia-san and Lunamaria-san were, leaving me here alone.
It’s good if she can take care of whatever’s going on with Lilia-san and Lunamaria-san, but since I don’t know Rigforeshia well enough to explore it on my own, I’m trying to wander around the neighborhood while avoiding any places that look too suspicious.
The town is lively, bustling with activity in anticipation of the Sacred Tree Festival tomorrow… The atmosphere really feels like Christmas Eve, with couples here and there. It would be great if these riajuus would just explode, though…
However, I knew something like this would happen, but being alone in this atmosphere really isn’t very pleasant.
It would be great if I could find at least one person I knew here, but unfortunately, I don’t recognize anyone in this place…
[Aaaahhhhhh!!!]
[ ! ? ]
[It’s Kaitokun-san!]
[Huh?]
I turned my head at the sound of the loud voice and saw a familiar pink-blonde-haired fairy, no taller than 50 cm… or maybe around 30 cm.
[…Raz-san!?]
[Long time no see~~]
The young fairy girl I met when Kuro invited me to a barbecue before—Razelia-san, a family member of Kuro’s—flitted around me with her tiny wings, a bright smile on her face.
[It’s been a while! I didn’t expect to run into you here. Are you here for the Sacred Tree Festival too?]
[That’s right~~ The fairies also live in this forest, so there are lots of Raz’s friends here~~]
[I see, but I’m really glad to see you again.]
[Raz is also happy to see Kaitokun-san!]
By the way, Raz-san has always called me “Kaitokun-san” because she said she just added “-san” to the way Kuro calls me, “Kaito-kun.” Of course, I corrected her, but she never bothered to change how she addresses me.
[Arya? Somehow, hasn’t Kaitokun-san gotten cooler?]
[Eh?]
[I don’t really know why, but it feels gentle and warm when I’m near Kaitokun-san. Hmmm. It feels like I’m near Shallow Vernal-sama.]
[Shiro-san did give me her Blessing, so…]
[Ahhh~~ I see. Shallow Vernal-sama is the God of the world, so Kaitokun-san, who received Shallow Vernal-sama’s Blessing, is loved by the world. That’s why Raz, who was born from nature, feels so comfortable with Kaitokun-san’s magic power~~]
[Heehhh, I didn’t know my Blessing had that effect.]
I never really understood the full extent of Shiro-san’s Blessing, but it seems it has the effect of making me loved by the world. For a fairy like Raz, who was born from nature, the magic power I was clad in feels comfortable to her.
I’ve heard that a peaceful walk through the forest has a relaxing effect, so maybe it’s something like that.
[Were you here alone, Raz-san?]
[Nope~~ I came with Neun.]
[With Neun-san?]
[Yes. Neun looked like she was depressed, so we came here for a change of scenery~~]
[She’s depressed, you say? What’s Neun-san doing now?]
[……Look over there.]
[……What the heck is that…?]
At Raz-san’s direction, I looked over and saw a figure in black armor sitting at the side of the road… sitting in that pose we used to do in PE class.
That’s definitely Neun-san… but what in the world is going on there? And how the heck can she sit like that in full armor?
[What happened for her to be like that?]
[That’s the thing~~ Since Kaitokun-san taught her how to make tofu, Neun’s been really into it. At first, Ein-san was the one making it, but Neun was determined to make it herself next time.]
[Fumu fumu.]
[And then, she started working on it every single day, getting more and more critical, mumbling things like “It’s not smooth enough” or “It’s not deep enough.”]
[She’s really particular about it, huh.]
It seems Neun-san is quite passionate about Japanese food, especially when it comes to making tofu, and she’s determined to perfect it.
I remember she said she’d come by to share the tofu with us once she got it right, but it seems she hasn’t visited yet because she’s not satisfied with the results.
I didn’t know Neun-san all that well yet, but I could tell she’s a big fan of Japanese food. It’s clear now—she won’t settle for anything less than perfection when it comes to something she’s passionate about.
[Because of that, Raz and Acht-kun got curious about Tofu-san. But Neun wouldn’t let us eat until she was satisfied with what she made. Raz, wanting to try it, asked Ein-san to make some.]
[Ein-san would definitely whip it up in no time.]
[Yep, yep. She made it right away and ate it with Acht-kun. Acht-kun said it was “tasteless,” but Raz thought Tofu-san was soft, jiggly, and really tasty.]
I’m not sure if Raz is vegetarian or if it’s some racial trait, but she can’t eat meat at all.
Come to think of it, she only ate vegetables when we had barbecue.
Anyway, for Raz, tofu made from soybeans was really tasty.
[And that’s when she showed up. Neun came in right at that moment and told us how she finished making her own Tofu-san.]
[Fumu…]
[But seeing Raz and Acht-kun eating Tofu-san, she seemed confident in her own creation and said, “Even if it’s made by Ein-sama, it’s not going to be better than the one I made.”]
[…What a daredevil.]
In other words, Neun-san, though not intending to, seemed to challenge that monstrous maid.
That’s not a good idea. As much as I want to support Neun-san, the only future I can see is one where she’s kneeling in defeat.
[After saying that, she took a bite of the Tofu-san Ein-san made… and then just sat down on the ground, saying, “A bug of my size has shown disrespect to the maid, Ein-sama. My apologies. Please let me continue to eat this tofu in the future.” And then she cried.]
Her heart broke!? Her self-confidence was shattered into pieces!?
I-I see, that’s why she’s so down… After spending nearly a month desperately trying and failing, if someone could surpass everything she did in just one try, her heart would definitely shatter.
[That is… how should I put this… really pitiful.]
[Ein-san was just listening to Raz and Acht-kun’s request and didn’t mean to hurt Neun. With a troubled expression that’s unlike her usual self, she tried to console Neun.]
As rude as it might sound, I can’t picture Ein-san looking confused.
That’s just how unexpected Neun-san’s depression must have been for her.
And that’s exactly why Raz-san invited her to the Sacred Tree Festival, hoping it would help her unwind, and why we ended up meeting now.
After hearing Raz-san’s explanation, I walked over to Neun-san, who was still sitting there, and, in a somewhat confused tone, called out to her.
[U-Ummm, Neun-san. It’s been a while.]
[……Miyama-san? Ah, yes. Long time no see… I’m surprised you remembered someone like me, a dung beetle who can’t even make tofu properly.]
[……Umm, Raz-san.]
[……What is it?]
[…….I had this image of Neun-san as someone really reassuring, but…]
[……She’s like that sometimes. Once she gets depressed, it takes her a while to snap out of it.]
Since she was the First Hero, I thought her heart would be monstrously tough, but… it seems Neun-san is the type of person who can’t help but get depressed.
It’s clear she feels responsible for making it, but I don’t think she should be hating herself over it.
Well, this is really awkward… How should I put this… I don’t think I can show this to the people in this world who worship the First Hero.
[E-Errr, Raz-san told me about it, but… Even you should know how outrageous Ein-san is. I’m sure Neun-san’s tofu has to be just as good, if not better…]
[……Then, please try it.]
[Huh?]
[You’ll see the difference once you try it.]
[Ah, errr… Alright.]
I tried cheering up the depressed Neun-san with something I wasn’t sure would help.
I figured it was a mistake to even try competing with someone as monstrous as Ein-san, and that Neun-san, who’s particular about Japanese cuisine, must’ve made something delicious. I said as much, but Neun-san simply pulled out two types of tofu from her Magic Box and offered them to me.
[The one on the right is made by Ein-sama, and the one on the left is made by me… Compared to Ein-sama’s, my tofu is like trash.]
[……………….]
Under the weight of her depressed mood, I tried each of the tofu.
The tofu on the right… I’m not sure if “terrific” even begins to cover it. It’s so smooth, it practically melts on the tongue, and the taste is so refined and elegant that even I can tell it’s top-tier. Ein-san made this in one shot? Just how much of a monster is she…?
The tofu on the left, on the other hand, has a very homemade, warm, and gentle flavor.
Huh? But isn’t this just…
[…Ummm, personally, though, I actually prefer the tofu on the left…]
[…Eh?]
[Ah, no, I’m not saying either of the tofu is good or bad. The tofu on the right is certainly elegant and tasty… but for me, the one on the left tastes like home or something like that? It has a simplicity and gentleness to it that I really like.]
[A-Are you sure?]
After hearing my opinion, Neun-san still seemed in disbelief. She raised her face from where it had been hidden behind her knees and looked up at me.
[Yes, it tastes really good. It’s so good that “I could eat it every day.”]
[Fueehhh!?]
When I shared my honest opinion, Neun-san suddenly made a strange sound and stood up all at once.
Arehh? What’s going on? She suddenly seems flustered about something, but…
[Mi-Mimi-Miyama-san!? T-T-T-That is to say, errr, y-you’d like to eat my miso soup every day…? A-A-Are you saying that with that meaning?]
[……Miso soup? Yes, if it’s miso soup made by Neun-san, that sounds wonderful. I’d love to have some.]
[~ ~ ~ ! ? ! ?]
The miso soup with tofu—Unnn, Neun-san is a Japanese foodie, and if she can make such good tofu, she must be a great cook. If I’m not bothering her, I’d love to try it.
[P-Please wait a moment!? T-This is the first time a man has said something like this to me, and my mind just can’t keep up, so…]
[Ah, no, it’s not like I’m forcing you or anything like that.]
[N-No, I-I don’t dislike Miyama-san at all. When we spoke before, you left a very favorable impression on me as a kind person… H-However, I don’t think we know each other very well yet!!!]
[Eh? Ah, yes. That’s certainly true.]
Unnn? What in the world is Neun-san talking about? Does that mean she’s not comfortable serving her home-cooked meal to someone she doesn’t know well?
No, I just wanted to try it if you’re okay with it, Neun-san, but it’s not like I’m forcing you to give me some… Could it be that because I’m Kuro’s acquaintance, she feels like she can’t say no or something?
[Ummm, Neun-san. You don’t really need to worry too much. If it’s impossible, just say so.]
[N-No, I-I think Miyama-san is a wonderful person, a-and I’ve been alive for a long time now, so I thought it was about time to think about it. B-but please, give me some time! F-first, let’s start with “exchanging letters”!!!]
[…Exchanging letters? Well, I don’t really mind, but…]
Huh? Why are we suddenly talking about exchanging letters? She mentioned earlier that we don’t know each other that well, so I guess this might be related to that?
In short, it sounds like she wants to build our friendship first, and after that, she’ll serve me some of her home-cooked meals.
I heard Neun-san was born in the Taisho Era, so maybe, for her generation, the best way to deepen a relationship is by exchanging letters.
I’ve never done that before, but since I’ve got plenty of time now that I’m in this world, chatting with her through letters sounds pretty nice.
[W-Well then, ummm, I may be inexperienced… F-from now on, I’ll be in your care.]
[Ah, yes. Me too.]
[U-Ummm, w-w-well then, I still have things to do, so I’ll be excusing myself! S-See you later!!]
After Neun-san quickly said that, she rushed off.
I’m not entirely sure what just happened, but I guess it’s a good thing that Neun-san seems to be feeling better now?
[Neun-san looked a bit confused, but do you have any idea why?]
[Raz doesn’t know either. But I’m glad she seems to be doing better~~]
[That’s right.]
[Yes! And that’s thanks to Kaitokun-san~~ Thank you!]
As I watched Neun-san’s retreating figure, I just tilted my head along with Raz.
Dear Mom, Dad—The day before the Sacred Tree Festival, I met some people I never expected to meet. Somehow, the conversation took an unexpected turn, and before I knew it—We’ll be exchanging letters.
Two shadows watch Kaito and Razelia from a short distance, both tilting their heads as they observe the scene unfolding.
[…What do you think, Aoi-senpai?]
[…From what I can see, it seems there’s an issue on the other side as well. He said she’s Japanese, but maybe even her way of thinking is a bit outdated.]
Aoi and Hina, who had been passing by during their stroll and happened to witness the exchange, mutter with somewhat dumbfounded expressions.
[Seriously, why is Miyama-senpai reacting like that? He doesn’t seem embarrassed by her reaction—if anything, he looks totally confused.]
[Well, you might not have noticed since they’re talking normally, but I don’t think Miyama-san could catch her reaction when he’s speaking with someone whose face is hidden behind a helmet…]
[Isn’t Miyama-senpai supposed to have an absurdly sharp sense for emotions, thanks to his Sympathy Magic?]
[If he can’t tell the difference between
The two women, exchanging their thoughts with a resigned look, are approached by Rejnhardt, who has been acting as their guide.
[Hm? You stopped walking. What’s the matter?]
[Oh, it’s nothing.]
[Yeah, we were just watching a natural womanizer in action.]
[…Hm?]
<Author’s Notes>
Kaito just said before, that riajuus should explode. Does he want to commit suicide?
T/N: 1/9… That’s one rather long chapter.