Sakura, Mio and I are doing some sightseeing, checking out the interesting places in the villages on the way here, as Alta suggested.
[So peaceful…]
Mio lies down on the floor in a 大 shape. Her skirt gets rolled up in doing so, and her underwear is completely exposed. Oh, it is black… Black?
[Mio, you are as vulgar as expected.]
[Huh? Oh, you saw my panties. Did you get excited?]
[It wasn’t a big deal, but please fix your skirt soon.]
[Boo. At least give a proper response.]
This is the first time we’ve seen “actual” Japanese house since we came to this country. Most of the buildings that we’ve seen in this country until now are either just half Japanese or those with mixed architecture. This house is wooden with a tile roof and a sliding paper door.
The hero who had come to this country before also bought various examples of Japanese culture, too. However, that information is fragmented due the passage of time, and so it’s lost its original shape. The result is the unnatural architecture of this country. The owner of this house must have investigated and collected the fragmented information in order to restore this building to the original shape that the previous hero left.
Mio lies down on the tatami mat, the same one we’re sitting on now.
Hmm… Why do we become really calm in this house?
[Here. The tea.]
[Oh, thanks.]
[Thanks.]
A twenty-year-old young lady brings us tea. She is granddaughter of the master of this house. We found her collapsed in the garden when we were looking around. She has a chronic disease (something like cardiac arrest in our former world), so I gave her Midori’s nectar to completely heal her disease. After that, we received permission to come here and relax whenever we feel like doing so.
[No, it is okay. It’s been a long time since my physical condition has been this good. So it can’t be helped that I want to move my own body more.]
She rolls up her sleeves. By the way, she is wearing a kimono. Although she has blonde hair, this doesn’t mean that the kimono isn’t a good fit for her. She is the perfect candidate for such attire.
By the way, her name is Yukari-san. It seems she shares the name of the hero’s daughter. The master of this house is into hero mania. I have a strong urge to retort, but I can’t since it is completely unrelated. However, I’m not sure whether using the nectar is completely unrelated, either.
We drink tea, eat dango, and relax like typical Japanese people.
[This is the first time I’ve felt so relaxed since coming to this world.]
[Yeah.. It’s not so bad to have a peaceful time like this.]
We came to this world, were driven out of capital immediately, and then had to leave that country. Our purpose at that time was to leave Eludia. Consequently, we didn’t have any time to relax since we always had to be in a hurry.
[Oh, that’s right. Sakura-sama, we can ask Yukari-san for some kimonos! Let’s wear them together, okay?]
[That’s a great idea, but I don’t know how to get dressed up in something like that.]
[In that case, please leave it to Mio-chan.]
Two people want to see Yukari-san, so they head to another room. They come back wearing kimonos with a floral design a few minutes later.
[How is it? Look good?]
[Does it… look strange?]
Mio is wearing a red kimono, and Sakura is in a yellow kimono. It’s rare to see Sakura put her braid down. Oh, this excludes the times when she is going to sleep.
[Yeah, it suits you just fine.]
My impression of Mio reminds me of a child attending a Seven-Five-Three festival. How wonderful for me.
[Eh…]
[Thank you very much.]
I have a carefree time with beautiful girls wearing kimonos on the balcony.
We stay like this until the end of the day, before eating somen for dinner and then returning to capital using
[I don’t really understand, but I wonder: Is he really that powerful?]
[Yeah, only his sword skill is on par with me. However, I think his overall strength is greater…]
Wow! His detail is matched with my skill. As expected from a master.
[His sword skill is equal to that of a “Sword Saint”!]
How many times is Gilbert going to be surprised today? I guess now he has two more instances of being surprised.
[Yeah, I have more fight experience than he has, but it’s too little to be called an advantage.]
「…」
[Huh…]
Gilbert is surprised again and at a loss for words. This is out of character for him. Is it really okay?
[Well, it is settled. I haven’t seen anything interesting like this in a long time. I’m sorry for calling you here.]
[No, I don’t mind. This is a good experience for me.]
After saying that, Gilbert leads me out of the castle. Having refused Gorudo’s offer to escort us back to the hotel, we return on our own.
Eighth day after our arrival at the capital:
I went shopping on that day. I buy some clothes with Mio. After I thought carefully about the clothing situation, I realized that I only have a school uniform. By the way, Sakura also has a lot of plain clothes. I brought Mio with me because I’m not confident in my fashion sense. I always wonder what should I wear other than my school uniform.
Now that my school uniform is off limits, this is the biggest pinch I’ve been in since that unpalatable preserved food.
[Hmmm… Clothes that are suitable for Master. What about this…]
Mio immediately shows me the clothes that she chose. As for Mio herself, she is wearing a gothic loli style, but she seems to have a good knack at picking clothes for other people.
What Mio chose for me is this: linen trousers and a cotton shirt, which seems to be a normal combination to wear in this world. The color of the trousers seems to suit me, but it has a lot of black and brown. It can’t be helped if I look more plain.
I know it is awfully similar to the garb of a villager, but that is fine because it suits my purpose…
[Well, I better dress like this, so people will confuse me with heroes less…]
[How was it? My look?]
[No, it is nothing.]
I suddenly notice a white dress. One for a prim and proper girl that has little in the way of decoration.
When I compare that dress to Mio, her black hair seems suitable for it. I might as well buy it as a present for her.
That night:
[Eh, Master brought it for me?]
[S-So enviable…]
As she shows off her white dress, Maria groans. Then she looks at me with a sorrowful look on her face, but it can’t be helped. I will buy clothes for everyone. Since I have no fashion sense, I don’t know whether I will satisfy them or not…
Ninth day after our arrival at the capital:
We need to prepare for tomorrow. I don’t know what will happen. At worst, two or more S-ranked adventurers will become our enemies. That is: Gorudo and Gilbert…
I ask Gilbert, but I can’t bring Mio and Dora with me this time. Well, I hadn’t planned to do so, but he told me that it’s fine to bring Maria who fought in the stampede with me or Sera who drove the carriage — just one of them, though. Since Maria is willing to become my guard, Sera has to do a bit of house sitting for now.
[It is highly likely that there will be a fight tomorrow. In a worst-case scenario, we will have to flee this country.]
[But… Isn’t there a chance that this will turn out well?]
[Yeah, we are likely to win with current cards we hold right now.]
[I mean, Master took the joker.]
Well, I am aware.
[I said that would be a worst-case scenario. I don’t want to be careless.]
[In that case, you shouldn’t talk about this in the first place…]
[But I don’t want to leave. I really like this country.]
Apart from Eludia, this country suits my taste. It would be regrettable if we have to flee.
But my stance is basically not to touch my subordinates’ past. The events that happened in the past didn’t involve us directly. Of course, I will help if my subordinates want… On the other hand, I won’t lay a hand on it if my subordinates don’t want me to do so.
But if this event involves one of my subordinates, I won’t allow it. I will absolutely crash it.