8-5. Workshops and Museum Visits

Satou's here. If you're expecting too much on something, the feeling of being betrayed is really great when the real thing doesn't live up to the expectation. I've experienced it with the movie that's made the entire America cry, even if the world changes, let-down is still around after all.


◇


"Blowpipe~?"
"It's swelling nodesu."

Pochi and Tama are flailing around and point at the workers of the workshop while being carried under Liza's arm.
Pochi and Tama are pointing at the blowpipes that the workshop's workers are using to make glass bowls. There are spell-users who use cooling magic in the passage used for the tour so it doesn't feel hot here, but the workers' face are full of sweats.

When Nana sees the swelling of the glass bowls, she looks unsteady like she's being lured from the tour passage, so Lulu and I catch her hands from both sides to stop her.

"Master, I propose the need to do a detailed observation."
"We're observing from here okay."
"Nana-san, you're going to hinder the workers-san. Please endure it."

In contrast with Nana who's overly interested, Arisa yawns uninterestingly.
Well, I can understand. When I heard about Oak glass workshop, I was expecting some kind of fantasy workshop, but it turns out to be a very normal workshop.

"If you're interested in it, how about experiencing making one yourself when the tour is over?"
"Yes, if it's alright with you, please."

The one guiding the tour is a depressed-looking old man, this person is the workshop head. He's a bizarrely thin man on the later half of his 50s with receded hair.

Next, we're guided to a place where the raw materials for the glasses are being produced. All the workers are wearing cloths that cover their mouths and noses. It's probably measures against dusts.

"This is where we crush stones, granites and quartzites, that will become glasses. You can change them into glasses by mixing this blue powder you get by crushing this oak stones and then heat them."

Oak stone?
Can it be, a fantasy material?

"These stones are mined from a mine on the side of the northern grapeyard mountain, and the powder from the stones will create bubbles if you put it into water. These bubbles are--"

I understand what it is from the workshop head's story, it seems to be a carbonic acid, or rather a natural soda. I've forgotten the name, but there are ores like that in the previous world. I personally am happy that I get to learn various knowledges, but I wonder if other nobles who visits here wouldn't get annoyed from that kind of technical explanation?

The last room in the tour course is the main event.

"This is the sheet glass magic tool used for producing glass in this workshop."

I'm told that this magic tool seems to be a legacy from Oak empire that precedes Shiga kingdom.

"It looks like a press machine huh."

I also understand what Arisa's said. Red hot glasses are poured on top of a pedestal with 1 meter wide, and 2 meters long, then something that looks like a presser comes down from the top, creating a sheet glass.
I remember seeing a video that shows glasses are poured on top of melted metals to make one before, but I can probably use magic as substitute for the membrane to make the sheet glass.

If I use Cubes, it might be unexpectedly trivial to do it.

Furthermore, we're showed the process to make mirrors from the sheet glass. It seems they use silver nitrate. The completed mirror looks close to the mirror that people use in the previous world. I have some silver nitrates since they're raw materials for alchemy, so I probably can make some mirrors if I have oak stones.

"There are two Pochi~?"
"There's Tama over there nodesu!"

Pochi and Tama on Liza's arms are surprised at the mirror while they point at it. They usually use one, but it's a bronze mirror after all. I've thought those things, but it seems that the points of their surprises are a bit different.

"It's like Soruna's compact mirror nodesu."
"It's big~"

I see, they've seen one from the eldest daughter at Muno castle, Soruna-san. It seems they're simply surprised since their whole bodies are reflected.

Not only Arisa and Mia, even Nana and Liza are looking at the mirror while posing. I should buy one on the way back.

However, only Lulu turns down her face from the mirror. This is unfortunate.
I wonder if there's a way to make Lulu stop hating her own appearance. I'll consult Arisa next time.

They're charging fee for experiencing the glass making process using the blowing instruments, so I pay. We're given one blow pipe as a commemoration. I get [Glasswork] skill when I blow the pipe once, and although I don't know when I'm ever going to use it, I activate it like usual.

When we're going home, I ask the price of a full-length mirror, but I'll have to wait for two years since the reservation is completely full. The glasses seem to be popular for the senior nobles of the royal capital and the duke capital to put it for the windows, their production cannot catch up with the demands.


◇


Continuing after the Oak glass workshop visit, we tour soy sauce, miso, and brewery workshops in rounds.
Apparently, everyone is tired, so I postpone the scheduled visits to the barrier support workshop and silk factory for tomorrow, I ask Shelna-san to take care of the adjustment.

By the way, today's lunch is meat pickled with soup, roasted. A bit burnt, but it's quite delicious. According to Arisa, there's similar cuisine in her previous world, although I don't know one in mine.

"What should we do in the afternoon? How about watching the martial art tournament qualifier?"
"Will master participate too nodesu?"
"I won't."

Pochi and Tama react to Arisa's words, but I immediately deny.

"I think master could become the champion, are you really not going to participate?"
"Peerless hence wonderful~?"
<TLN: Muteki ni suteki~?>
"Nn, champion."

Pochi looks downhearted since I immediately deny, but I think watching the game is more fun than participating in it. More than anything, the demerit for being the champion looks to be greater than the merit.

"Master, there are a museum and an opera house nearby, how about going there?"
"Right, let's go to the museum then."

Lulu talks about a different topic right there, so I get on it. I confirm on the map that there's a museum close by.
There's an elf from the same village as Mia in the opera house, but when I ask Mia about it, she doesn't know the name. It's probably an elf who has got out of the forest before Mia's born.


◇


The visitors of the museum are mainly women who look to be well-off and their servants.

"Yamato~?""Oh, nano desu."
"Fuh~n, it seems they're holding exhibition of the ancestor king Yamato."
"Looks like it's quite crowded there."
"Nn."

The museum is constructed with three connected main halls. Among them, the biggest hall is holding an [Ancestor King Yamato Exhibition] for a limited time.

The order of things are set, so we'll go according to those orders.

First, it's an area for stuffings and skeletal structures.
The ambiance is fundamentally the same as the one in Japan, but there are monster stuffings among them, so the impression is quite different.

"It's dangerous nodesu, please leave this to Pochi and go ahead nodesu!"
"I'll wait it to you~"
"Pochi, we'll wait ahead after defeating the demon lord!"

You girls, please do the tour normally. Why are they holding a small drama. Moreover, what do you mean by [Wait], it's [Leave].
<TLN: Tama used [Matasete] instead of [Makase]>

"Master, are they not going to move?"
"Un, they're stuffings after all."

I feel they'd move if they become undeads.
Nana points at the stuffings of a small kingfisher and a squirrel-like small animal.

"It's cute."
"Nn."

Lulu and Mia are looking at a penguin's stuffing. There's one in a parallel world too huh. I pray that it's not a stuffing of penguinman or something.

Oh right.

"Pochi, come here for a bit."
"Yes, nano desu."

I carry Pochi, who has come trotting, under my arm and bring it closer to the mouth of a big monster called Fortress Tiger.

"Wagahai, you, bite whole."
<TLN: Wagahai=I.>

While making odd voice to surprise Pochi, I put my arm inside the monster's mouth.

>[Ventriloquism Skill Acquired]

I didn't intend to though.

"Y, you can't nano desu. Pochi isn't tasty nodesu."

Pochi is panicking and flailing around on my arm.

"Meat, delish."
"Meat is tasty, but Po, Pochi isn't a meat nodesu. That's why eating me is, bad, nano desu."

Since Pochi begins to seriously become scared, I put on the break.

"I'm sorry, Pochi."
"Master is mean nodesu. Pochi was scared nodesu. I demand apology and compensation nodesu."
"Then, how about I make a delicious fish dish for dinner as the compensation?"
"Fish.... Fish attacks so I hate it nano desu."

Well now?　Did a fish-shaped monster came out?
I glance at Arisa, who smiles wryly beside us, to ask about it.

"Back when we're going around stuffing ourselves with the cuisines in Gururian city, a fish bone gets stuck in Pochi's throat, it was bad."
"A, Arisa. You promised to keep that a secret nodesu. Not talking about it nano desu."

Pochi has tears on her eyes, unusually so, she's hitting Arisa like a spoiled child. Oh, Arisa's HP is decreasing. Arisa is saying, "O, ouch, ch, Po, Pochi, serious punch is not okay~", like she has some allowance, but in truth, it's seriously painful for her isn't it?
I lift Pochi from behind and her punch stops connecting. Since Arisa says, "Uu~ looks like it'll become bruises.", I give her mana healing with the hand that hold Pochi in reverse.
<TLN: I think I'll go with magic power = mana from now on.>

"Oh~, it feels nice."
"Master, please the mana supplement for me."
"Next."

Since Nana wouldn't understand that this isn't mana supplying, I give the mana healing to everyone who seems to be interested with it.
For some reason, it's become so that I'm healing waist pain of the elderly in the museum too, and since Pochi and the others have been given snacks by the elderly, I can't stop halfway, and finish until the last one. Liza and Lulu accompanied beside me until the end, but the other members go back to tour the museum, maybe because they grew tired. That's unfair. 8-6. Workshops and Museum Visits (2)

Satou's here. I couldn't believe it when I saw the existence of tofu hamburg steak for the first time. Recently, there are a lot of hamburg steaks made with various raw materials, but I say that hamburg steak made with minced beef and pork is the best.


◇


It's already evening huh.
Just how many old men's and old women's waists have I massaged. Everyone was grateful so it was worth doing, but I had hoped that they would hold back a bit.

"Looks like the field hospital is over eh. Here, here, come here."

Arisa and Nana have just come back from sightseeing work of arts and treasures. The two lead me by hands to the Yamato exhibition. There are only a few people around, maybe because it's evening.

"Gozaru~"
"Gozaru nano desu!"

Pochi and Tama who are wearing haori that look like Shinsengumi outfits are taking poses with wooden swords modeled after Japanese katana on their hands.

"Fu fuhn, they look the part right. I've bought them from the cosplay corner, or rather, souvenir corner."
"Arisa, I cannot commend on your wasteful spending."

Liza scolds her, but Arisa's pocket money comes from the salary she's got from Nina-san. I can't get used with, "What belongs to the slaves also belongs to the master.", kind of common sense at all.

There are also a corner exhibiting Japanese katana, but they're treated as [Ancient Swords]. It seem like it didn't get spread.

The dummy of Yamato-san's side arm, the holy sword Claiomh Solais, is being displayed at the center of the katana exhibition corner.
It's a big sword nearly two meters long. From what I remember, Claiomh Solais should have been a one-handed sword in the previous world, but since it's a knowledge from games, it's not a reliable one.
If Yamato-san can use this sword, that person might unexpectedly have large body build.

A huge three meters wide picture is being displayed behind the dummy sword.
It's a picture of Yamato-san fighting against a demon lord with golden body standing on top of a castle. Yamato-san is depicted riding on a dragon's back while wielding the holy sword. Yamato-san looks slightly small, but since the dragon and the demon lord are big, I guess it can't be helped.
Numerous floating swords are pictured there, it's probably the artist's interpretation. It's a scene that seems likely to appear in an anime.

"There is no such thing as human riding on a dragon."
"Eeh~, don't something like dragon knight fire you up."

Liza looks a bit displeased when she sees the picture of Yamato-san riding a dragon. The scalekin might be people who deify dragons.
I somehow understand why Arisa used [Fired up], instead of [Burned]. Mia is nodding besides Arisa, I'm not going to pursue the reason for that.

Arisa, be more modest in being a culture hazard.

Before we could get to the clothes exhibition, a museum official notifies us that the building is closing, so the tour ends. Let's come again if we have time.
According to Arisa who has toured it earlier, there are various cosplay costumes inside, but I think that they're not cosplay but what the people in that era are wearing.


◇


When we get back to the earl's mansion, lady Karina who's got left behind tries to pick a quarrel with me, but she quickly forgives me after Pochi and Tama present her with the matching shinsegumi's haori, and the headband as souvenirs. She's quite calculating.

Lady Karina's maids group raise cheer of joy when I tell them that I'm in charge of the cooking tonight, but since I don't think I could make anything extravagance, it's troubling when they're this happy.

For the sake of fixing Pochi's hate with fish, I'm making a fish dish today.

"How about it, Arisa helped dressed me, do you think it suits me?"
"It suits you really well."

I answer half-heartedly to lady Karina who purposely comes to the kitchen to show me the haori she's wearing. Is she really that happy for the matching outfit with Pochi and the others?

I make the fish into minced meat.
It hits upon me when I see the dumplings for the ration yesterday; the fish meat hamburg steak. I slightly mix in goat fat to add some subtle flavors, since the taste would be too plain with just fish meat. I'm unsure with the amount of eggs I have in stock for this. Since Karina maids group looks to be free, let's ask them to buy some eggs.

"Master, the oil is boiling."

I ask Lulu to fry the potatoes. Potato is a must for hamburg steak.
Next, I quickly make the carrot glace. The potatoes are piling up, I'll make mashed potatoes from it. I put the asparagus look-a-like as the garnish.

The Worcester-like sauce that I've got from the head chef in Gururian city is going to be the sauce. I can make it myself since I've been taught the recipe too, but it's not usable for now since it needs fermentation. Therefore, I decide to use the ones from the parting gift just like that.

"Pochi!""Tama!"

The two people call each other's name and hug when they see the hamburg steak. Are you really that happy?　That remind me, they're also overjoyed when I make it with ordinary meat back then. There's no sauce at that time, so I make a faux sauce with the soy sauce as the base.

I tell everyone beforehand that there is no additional serving for the hamburg steak, so they eat it while savoring the taste.

"Delishya~"
"Though it's different from before, it's delicious nodesu."
"Delicious~♪"

Looks like it's quite popular.

"It's the first time I've eaten this dish."
"I'm eating such luxurious dish that even Karina-sama hasn't eaten!"
"Erina, stop being vulgar during the meal."

The mouths that need to feed have increased with lady Karina's and her maid group'. I'm the one who invited them at first, but the maid group are eating together before I know it.

"Pochi, is it delicious?"
"Yes, nano desu!"
"Really?"
"Real, ly, nano desu!"

Pochi bends her body with the "Real", and stretch out her whole being with the "Ly" to express the deliciousness. It's cute, but I have to tell her the truth here.

"Pochi-kun."
"Yes, captain."

Captain is it.

"I have a serious thing to report."
"Aye."

Why are you saluting.

"That hamburg steak is made with fish."
"Fissh meat nano desu?"

Pochi leans her head to one side. Why are you using strange intonation.

"Like I said, it's not meat, it's fish."
"L, lie nano desu! Master is a bully nano desu."
"Pochi-chan, it's not a lie. I was beside master so I saw it too. It was certainly made with minced fish."
"Gaa~n, nano desu."

Pochi falls to the ground while supported by both her hands. Why are you shocked to that extent.
Tama pats the shoulder of Pochi who's fallen down.

"Pochi."
"Tamaa."

Tama strongly puts her thumbs up and continues her words.

"Delicious is~ Justice!"
"!"

Pochi is astonished with Tama's words.
It somehow stinks of a small theatric play, so I glance at Arisa who averts her eyes. So you really are the one behind this.

"Tama speaks the truth nodesu. Delicious thing is supreme nano desu!"

Pochi raises her face, and gazes at the sky with an expression as if enlightened. Since we're indoor, the only thing that could be seen there is the chandelier, but no one is retorting.
For the time being, Pochi has become better with fish. When we're eating fish dish, she asks me or Lulu to take out the bones, but she doesn't dislike it anymore.


◇


"Arisa, do you want to read this book?"
"Nn~? The book you've bought with Toruma ossan?　Is there a book for intermediate level light magic?"

Arisa invited me to the bathroom when we were relaxing on the sofa after meal, so I changed the subject to avert her attention. The bathroom here is for single-person use only with a bath tub, so I can't relax if I get intruded during the bath.

"T, these are!"

I show Arisa the magic book for intermediate level light magic, explosion magic, and destruction magic manual.

"Kuh, if I dye my hair to pink, I'd exactly become the heroine."

Yeah yeah.
Next, I take out the space magic book that only has the spells written in it.

"What's this one? The book looks to be very badly managed..."

Arisa's expression changes after she sees the spell.

"Hey, don't tell me this is space magic?"
"It is."
"Don't, say, it, so easily~~~."

I slightly pull away from Arisa who's loaded her words with excessive force while saying, "Uga".

"It surely is unusual, but people who can use space magic aren't that rare right?"

From what I see in all the cities I've been so far, shadow magic is the rarest. I've never seen any user beside Zen.
The runner-ups are explosion, destruction, and mind magic, beside lady Ringrande and Arisa, the only other users of those magic are demons and the demon lord.
Following it are ghost, summoning, and space magic, their users are few, but in a big city, there are several people who can use them.

"What are you saying! It's space magic you know, space magic! It's not a standard cheat!"
"It'd be convenient if there's a teleport magic, but you don't have enough skill points to learn space magic right?"

Arisa's degree of excitement has decreased somewhat.
I'm sorry to spoil the fun, but even if there is a teleport magic, it'd be an advanced level.

"Fuhahaha, since when did you misunderstand that skill points are fixed?"

Arisa looks down from the sofa while looking proud.

That's a surprise. 8-7. Nighttime Training

Satou's here. Recently, on top of being online, save data is saved automatically, making the reset trick like how it's used to be in the past becomes unusable, it feels slightly lonely. There's just something good about reset isn't it.


◇


"What do you mean? Don't tell me, it can be reset?"
"It can you know? Didn't I tell you?"

This is the first time I've heard it of course.
I still have grandly excessive skill points remaining, but since the prospect of leveling up isn't too bright for me, the existence of reset is quite important.

"How do we do it?"
"You acquire the reset skill, 『Reset』, and execute it. You can get back all points from all skills except unique and gift ones."

How convenient.
And how unreasonable. It's an unrelated skill for me who cannot choose reset.

"Hey, don't show such face."

She can see through the poker face skill like always.

"Even reset isn't all-powerful."

If it was, you could change skills composition during a fight. That reminds me, that anime [Esper Senotan] I've watched does similar things.

"You lost 5-20% of your skill point once you use it you know. And there is no way to recover them."

I'll lost 155-620 skill points if I use it huh, the remuneration is too great. I understand why Arisa has never used it now.

"There's also another reason why I don't want to use it~."

When I ask it, she answers, "REALLY, painful."
Then, wouldn't the neighborhood get annoyed if she used reset here. I was going to prepare pain-killer for her, but according to Saga hero, there were records of increased lost points when the person involved used medicines.

"Do you have any place in mind where it's okay to make noises?"
"Wait a bit."

I execute the wind magic that I've learned, <<Secret Field>>.
With this, sounds will not leak out for several hours.

"I've used the magic to make this place private. Sounds won't leak with this."
"Then we can do ecchi things as we please right."
"I'd cancel it you know?"

This Arisa really never changes huh.


◇


I put Arisa who is exhausted to rest on my lap.

After she executed reset, I hugged Arisa on my lap, but not only she clawed my back, she was also going wild on my arms. I was worried that her violet hair would turn white, but it was just an imaginary fear. When the reset is over, she lost her consciousness, so I let her slept on my lap on the sofa, but...

"Arisa, if you're going to sexually harass me, I'll put you down from my lap okay?"

Even after that much pain, what a tough girl. She put herself in a delicate position while pretending to be asleep.

"So, did it go well?"
"Sort of~, I don't quite have enough points, so in exchange of mind and light magic, I've got space magic level 6."

Arisa is feeling accomplished, but I have to warn her beforehand.

"Arisa, this is an order. Barging into the bathroom while I'm bathing or peeking at me changing are forbidden beside during emergency."
"Guha, at least, at least, do that order if I get caught red-handed please. The little bit of reward for a maiden~~~."

She's really thinking about it after all huh.


◇


Arisa requests to have her test her magic to her heart's content, so we go to the underground labyrinth. I inform Liza when we are going out.
The duke's subordinates are on the lookout at the teleport device and the hole that I've made before, so I make a new passage in another place to the underground labyrinth.

"The king has donkey ears."

I understand what she's trying to say, but what would we do if there are soldiers patrolling the area. There's none though of course.

"Stop saying stupid things, let's go."

I carry Arisa on my arms, and jump below. It's not connected to the floor where I fight the demon lord, but another place.

"Haa, I thought I was going to die."

How rude. I regulated the speed properly.
Since I'm afraid that the effect from big magic would be felt above ground, I dive three layers below.

"What kind of place is this? It looks like a labyrinth, but there's no monster."
"It's the remain of a labyrinth."
"Ee~ it feels like the demon lord will really come out."

Hmm?
What is she saying?

"Didn't I say yesterday? When I was hunting demons, I also defeated a demon lord that popped up."

Even though Arisa was saying, "Good work~", or, "It was hard huh~" herself.

"Eh, you were serious?"
"Very serious."
"Lying~ you're lying, if it's true, your title should have become 『True Hero』!"

She's knowledgeable about it.
Might as well, I put on the hero Nanashi style and the title [True Hero]. I do not don the wig, so my hair remains black. I have to buy one next time.

"Uwah, it's true. How did you defeat it? Ah, it must be with a holy sword of course."

Galatine delivers the decisive blow, but the one that does the most works is Durandal, so I show that one to her.
Arisa is returning the sword, but I tell her to keep it.

"The demon lord has been defeated, so I'll leave it to Arisa. I have a lot of other weapons, so it's fine."

I'm thinking of leaving one to Arisa for an insurance if anything happens, but Arisa interprets it differently, and desperately draws closer to me.

"Don't tell me that the repatriation offer from the god has come."

The heck is that.

"After you defeat the demon lord and become the 『True Hero』, it seems that the god will come to ask if you want to be repatriated, or remain in this world as a hero. The story is that if you answer 『Go home』 then, you'd get sent back to your previous world."
"There's no need to worry about it, even if the god asks me if I want to go back, I'll stay here for the present time."

I can't go back to the previous world in peace before Arisa, Pochi, and the others become strong enough to defeat demons.
Furthermore, I'm not summoned with the normal hero summoning, so there's no guarantee that I can go back to the previous world. If I get the chance to do it, I'll ask to have a letter for my family delivered instead of myself. If I just write [I'm healthy], I feel like they will forgive me. My family are carefree unlike me, so it's probably alright.

"Th, that means..."

Oops, Arisa who's misunderstood is blushing, let's talk about something stupid.

"I haven't finished the sightseeing of this world after all."
"He?"

The angry Arisa is hitting me softly, let's take it contently.


◇


"Did you get any rare drop? Like demon lord core (Demon Core)?"

Although it seems to be something real, looks like the thing called [Demon Lord Core (Demon Core)] doesn't exist.

"There's nothing great. There are two liuyedao that the demon lord uses, but they're too big for human, it's unusable. Moreover, one of them is broken. Other things are belongings of [Wings of Liberty], like demon summoning magic book, or specific magic circle for summoning the short horn, and also, miscellaneous accessories."

Those accessories belong to nobles, so they could be worth some money, but since it'd likely be doubted from robbery, I melt them to become materials instead.
I have a lot of Short Horn, the original collection goal, but there's no need to say it.

"Demon summoning, it doesn't use mobile phone or note PC does it."
"It doesn't."

It's just that, since it's a dangerous book with methods to summon upper demon or the ceremony for demon lord revival, I intend to store it away. I can just burn it, but since there's a possibility that the content of the spell can be applied for other magic, I'm going to keep it.

I test elementary level magic together with Arisa, but it's dangerous to try intermediate and higher level magic with Arisa, so I go alone to a gigantic floor to test them. As expected of real magic intended for attacking, not blacksmithing. You can't joke around with the power.
I can only use [Implosion] of explosion magic, and powered-down [Laser] of light magic when I'm in a town.
I will have Toruma's parent house to create scrolls that are a bit more usable.

"Welcome back."

Arisa who's welcoming me is looking listless on the cushion she's put on the floor.
She's probably totally exhausted. I can smell sweet scent, so she's probably drunk mana recovery potion while testing her magic.

"What kind of extreme magic did you use. I was scared that the labyrinth would collapse you know."

That's strange.
On top of being quite far from her, I covered the inner wall with the barrier magic that I had learned.

"I'm sorry, it looks like I wasn't serene enough."
"It's fine already. I can't get surprised anymore."

In other words, you were surprised huh.

"Rather than that, could you make something like this?"

Arisa is asking me to make a carved seal, that's drawn the magic book, on a board. Looks like it's a unique mark needed to be put at the teleport destination for the only teleport magic in the space magic book that has until intermediate level in it.

"Seems like you'd be able to do trading alone with this."
"Please don't be absurd. It only reaches several kilometers at most. Even leveling up the skill only help to increase number of people that can be teleported together, and decrease MP consumption on this magic."

Presently, Arisa can only take one person along with her. Moreover, she'll run out of magic power by just leaping a bit of distance. The fuel consumption looks bad.

"During a real emergency, I can use [Over Boost], and take everyone along to escape."

Oh, that's the best.
I give Arisa several carved seal boards that I've finished making on the magic granting stand. These take one gold coin and two silver coins to make, it looks like a space magician can easily run out of money.

Since we're here already, I hide one carved seal board on this place. 8-8. At Toruma's Residence

Satou's here. Japanese houses can be described as rabbit's huts, but I think 1LDK is enough for living alone. The cleaning and tidying would be troublesome if it's too wide.


◇


"What are you making this time?"
"It's a wire."

The workshop visits are scheduled for the afternoon today, so I spend the free time to do some handiworks. Even though I say wire, it's not a simple steel thread. If I entwine magic liquid to a yarn, it becomes able to move it at my discretion. It can't move quite freely at will, so it might be good to think carefully on the knit direction.

Tama who sits on my lap has been entangling with the wire, so the work doesn't really progress. I've asked Mia to help me to hold the yarn, but it seems she's having more fun with the wire.

Mia, even if you're tired, please don't play with the wire together with Tama.

"Fuffuffuu, I know what you're actually making!"

Hoo?

"It must be, a whip sword!"

The heck is that?
Is there even any relation with wire.

"I'm just making a normal wire though?"
"Eh, boring."

The whip sword Arisa is talking about seems to come out in a certain anime, it's a fantasy weapon where the sword can detach like a whip connected with wire and back to sword shape. It's probably like a three-secion staff.

I don't think that it's practical at all.
When I tell that to Arisa, she says, "It's romantic." It can't be helped if it's a romance then.

Although, if I have the nature magic [Magic Hand] and [Mana String], I probably won't need the wire that can moves at will, but it might be better not to tell her that.


◇


The workshop visits in the afternoon finishes faster than scheduled, so I decide to come to Toruma's residence as I've promised the other day.
I'm followed by Nana, Arisa, and for some reason, also lady Karina and her maid Pina. Pochi and Tama naturally don't look like they want to go, and since the others also seem like they don't want to meet Toruma, I leave them behind. You've done a great job getting hated Toruma ossan.

Liza asked me to have her also followed, but I requested her to teach Lulu and the others self-defense and left them. If I thoughtlessly let her come, there's a high probably that she'll get offended there.

I've imagined that Toruma's residence will be a 3LDK since I'm told that it's a detached building of the viscount Shimen's mansion, but instead, the residence is easily bigger than the mansion we're staying. We enter from the back door near Toruma's residence so I don't get to see the main building, but it must be an imposing building.

Viscount Shimen is flourishing alright. No wait, the building is probably the fruit of many generations' powers.

"Excuse me for my long absence, Hayuna-san."
"It has been a while, Satou-san. Ara, I have to stop calling you Satou-san. Since you've got a peerage, I wonder if I have to call you with your house name."

Hayuna-san who I haven't seen for a while is wearing a relaxed noble wife-like clothes. They're not gaudy, but it looks graceful and of high-quality. Mayuna-chan is being cuddled by a middle-aged maid who looks to be the wet-nurse.

"I have come back, young organism."

Nana pokes Mayuna-chan with her finger, and the little hand catches that finger. Nana's face looks like it's melting when she sees that gesture.

Meanwhile, lady Karina looks at that situation very interestingly, but she doesn't try to approach the baby at all.

"Do you want to try holding her in your arm, Karina-sama?"

Hayuna-san has offered so to lady Karina, but she only replies by shaking her head. Come to think of it, she's docile in front of Toruma. Unexpectedly, he might have been her first love.


◇


"Have Karina-sama gone to the opera house?"
"No, there wasn't a good opportunity..."
"You should go by all means. You have to hear the miraculous voice of Lulilutoa the fairy at least once!"
"Hee, by fairy, you mean elf?"
"It's difficult to distinguish between fairy, but it's probably an elf."

We're having a chat while enjoying tea and snacks on the terrace.
Hayuna-san is talking about various topics with Karina who's being quiet and meek, but she doesn't respond it well. Arisa follows-up Hayuna-san to help her. Nana is going crazy about the baby of course.

"Oh right, Satou-dono."
"What is it?"

Toruma is going to say something at this time, but it will forever remain a mystery.
That is because the mood has been dyed by the appearance of a woman who pushes through the bushes.

"Ara, Toruma-niisan, I've thought you are eloping, you've come back?"
"Hey, Rin, it's been a while. You've become quite beautiful."

The one that appears is lady Ringrande. She's calling Toruma brother due to the habit since her childhood, but he's actually her cousin. Looks like she doesn't have her armor and great sword today. She's wearing red knight-like clothes with a thin sword hanging. However, judging from how she appears, is she being chased by someone?

"Toruma-niisan, I'm sorry, but can you let me hide here for a bit?"
"No problem. I've never declined a request from Rin right?"
"Thank you, nii-san is always reliable--"

Lady Ringrande scans on the people around while thanking Toruma closely, and immediately after she sees me on the corner of her eyes, she approaches.

"You, after failing to hit on Sera, now you're trying to approach her from the moat outside?"

That's quite outrageous even for a false accusation. The misunderstanding should have been cleared by Sera's explanation in the first place.
Arisa glances for an instant, but I gesture to her not to cut into the conversation.

"Sera-sama most likely had explained it already, but I just met her by chance when I was helping the food distribution on the downtown."

I try to tell her that it's just an unfounded misunderstanding, but the KY ossan talks about unneeded things as expected.

"So Satou-dono is aiming for Sera huh, I've thought that you surely will marry Karina since you've brought her here from Muno territory. It's still not enough with eight huh, I'm really jealous of young people."
"Toruma-niisan, are you speaking the truth?"
"Un? It's mostly true yeah."

Ossan, please restrain yourself from speaking statements that will birth misunderstandings. Eight you say, stop including lady Karina in the equation.

"You're going to make the cute Sera your ninth lover? I won't forgive you."
"Err~ Ringrande-sama? I'll say this many times over, it's a misunderstanding okay?"

She pulls the thin sword and comes toward me.

"Excuses are useless. I'll beat you into shape once to correct your character. Or, is that sword on your waist just a decoration?"

It is a decoration though.
She looks like she'll get mad if I say that. She's already mad even if I don't say it though.
Arisa is grinning while laughing and saying, "Go get her~?", irresponsibly fanning her. Hayuna-san looks troubled even though she doesn't really understand the situation. Nana shows her face and says, "Master, may the fortune be with you.", and goes back to the baby--must be because she trusts me.

At time like this, Karina who's usually the fastest to pick a quarrel is quiet. I've thought that she's still being meek, but she looks grim for some reason. She's muttering, "Ringrande? Cousin Rin? That's the genius magician who's become the hero's companion?" in a low voice. I prefer her usual, "It's a fight desuwa.", than her being like this.

Looks like there's some kind of discord between them, so I won't involve myself with it.

"I understand, I may be inadequate, but please instruct me well."

Can't be helped.
Might as well get her teach me how to fight. I've also been ridiculed by the demon lord, so this is just right.
While walking to the courtyard where she's standing by, I draw the fairy sword, taking the breaths of lady Ringrande, Hayuna-san and the others. I wonder who's the one that murmurs, "Beautiful."

I don't put magic power into the fairy sword, and wield it in its lightweight state.

Lady Ringrande stabs with her thin sword without any preparation. The course is to my cheek. The stabs is quick as one expects of the thin sword.

I prepare the fairy sword in low stance to brush the attack off.

Before the thin sword touch the fairy sword, she retracts and holds it, and when I'm swinging the fairy sword up, she pushes the thin sword to my defenseless chest.

Wait, lady Ringrande? That's going straight to my heart you know?
I'm thinking that she's going to stop before hitting, but she looks like she's thinking that insects that follow lady Sera around should just die, scary.

I'm pulling the short cane with my other hand which doesn't hold the fairy sword to ward off the thin sword. Of course, the short cane will be easily cut if it blocks the thin sword, but as if seeing it as a dagger since I move it in an instant, Ringrande pulls back her thin sword, and opens up some distances.

"Fumu, you're quite good. It doesn't seem like your mithril sword is only for show. You were pretending to be an amateur by having your eyes looked all over the place right. I didn't think that you had prepared your next move beforehand."

I see, my lines of sight huh. I didn't think that.
Afterwards, I learn the way to use my line of sight to feint, reading the breath, and many other techniques that aren't covered in skills.

Misunderstandings are good sometimes. 8-9. At Toruma's Residence (2)

Satou's here. Mad dogs kind of people often appear in tales, but in the previous world, I've only ever seen those kinds during my school days. Are they mellowing with ages? In a parallel world, I feel that they'd get weeded out before they could get mellowed.


◇


"Hoo, the one they call Silver Valkyrie of the Battlefield is playing together with a kid huh?"

The people who are intruding this precious lady Ringrande's swordsmanship classroom are three knights wearing white armors. They're subordinates of Shiga kingdom king, the holy knights, and also; the elderly man, and the humorous yet handsome young man have [Shiga Eight Sword] titles. The humorous handsome young man is called Sharlick Shiga. The third prince of Shiga kingdom.

By the way, by kid, did he mean me?

"Prince Sharlick, isn't it impolite to intrude on other people's house even if he's your retainer?"
"Ringrande, you're too stiff. Heya, little brother of viscount Shimen--."
"Toruma. Your highness."

Toruma supplemented the prince who was hesitating.
Ossan can read this kind of atmosphere huh. In a way, he's really like a noble.
Without looking excited, the prince says, "Sorry to intrude.", and Toruma also allow him like it's natural.

Nevertheless, I know that he has a business with lady Ringrande, but what are these guys coming here for?

"I have some businesses with Ringrande. You guys, step away."

He said it like a request, but that was an order alright.

"Your highness, I'm sorry, but this is my house, and she is my cousin. Even if it's your highness, it'll be better if you avoid being alone together with an unmarried woman."
"Fuhn, what's wrong with fiancees being alone together."
"Our engagement should have been canceled since seven years ago."

Well then, I want to get away from this complicated spot, I wonder what I should do.

"Your highness, you should stop with the troublesome talks, and just do it like this."

The holy knight boy who have been looking like a mischievous kid since earlier draws his sword and comes to me while slashing it.
What's with this guy?　Is his head alright?

His rushing speed is fast, but compared to lady Ringrande, his swordsmanship is full of holes.

"Oh you're drawing your sword in front of his highness, it's fine to label you as a rebel then right."

What kind of logic is that. Hair-splitting-ly bad false accusation.
Since he uses a mithril alloy sword known for its hardness, I avoid his attack without blocking with the fairy sword. However, the boy continues attacking relentlessly.

Is he a battle maniac?

"Oyo?　That mithril sword isn't only for show eh. Aha, can you block this?"

The boy releases an consecutive attacks technique like tornado.
Is this a fighting game.

I will look too conspicuous if I avoid that, so I receive it with my sword and pretend to be blown back. Lady Karina and Hayuna-san call out my name with worry. Arisa probably understands since my health hasn't decreased, and Nana doesn't seem to worry from the beginning. They really trust me~. They really trust me, right?

Lady Karina literally jumps with Raka's power and holds me on her arms.
OH! fuka, fuka.
<TLN: onomatopoeia for 'soft soft'.>

"Hee, you can use physical reinforcement too eh? If you pick up his sword, I'd be your opponent you know?"

I stop lady Karina's hand that's going to pick my sword. She cannot win.

"You can't, Karin-sama(.)"

Meanwhile, Toruma is doing his best trying to stop the prince. He's quite weak-willed, but work hard.

"Your highness, he's a retainer of baron Muno, and a noble who holds peerage. Can you please stop the man over there?"
"Hou, serving that cursed territory, he must've been quite broke."

Huh?　I get slightly angry from the line just now. I might be quite fond of baron Muno and his retainers if I say so myself. Arisa looks quite offended, but as expected, the opponent is too bad, she can't intervene.

"I won't forgive you for insulting our territory, even if you're the prince. I'll make you take back that word, even if I have to risk my life."
"Fuhn, are you trying to gain favor of that kid and join the rank of noble? Women should just stay in the home raise the children you've birthed obediently."

Lady Karina has told me that she has never participated in the upper society even once, so that's probably why he doesn't know her. It seems he's thinking that she's the wife or a mistress of the retainer of baron Muno, in other word, a worthless noble, not his daughter. It's pitiful.

"I am the second daughter of baron Muno, Karina desuwa. There's no reason to treat me like a maidservant you know?"

Lady Karina stands up in front of the prince while she puts her hands on her waist, firmly facing to the front and glares at him.
I stand up while patting my head who has fallen to the ground.

The opponent is a prince, the right thing to do here is to withdraw.

"I cannot remain silent since my master's house is insulted. Even if you're a prince, I'll have you retract your words earlier."

Huh~?
Even though the right thing to do was to wait carefully. I lined up side-by-side with lady Karina, and said such words. It must have been the influence of this teenage body. I'll leave it at that.
At minimum, I'm discreet enough to leave the sword in the sheath. I'm certain to become the target of punishment if I face my sword toward the royal family.

"Karina-dono, our winning percentage is limitlessly zero understand?"
"Raka-san, there are times when a woman must not withdraw."

The two are heating up?　However, you shouldn't confront him physically since he's a royal family okay.

"As ever, you think women are only tools for giving birth to children."

Lady Ringrande says so in a voice shaking with anger while cutting herself between lady Karina and the prince.
Toruma comes and claps Karina's shoulder. Her feet are trembling. She was really forcing herself.

"Your highness, the person you've falsely accused is the hero of the Muno city defensive war. Moreover, he's defeated the demon that's appeared in Gururian city, and currently stays in this dukedom capital as the duke Oyugock's guest of honor. Putting aside your highness, I think it would trouble the people over there."

Shifting the blame from the prince to the battle maniac boy huh.
The prince wouldn't back down if he was criticized after all.

"Fuhn, it can't be helped, I suppose I'll leave it here. It'd be troubling if the available forces decreased before the demon lord awakens.
Right, was it Toruma?　The only capital is the royal capital. Calling Oyugock city a capital is a blasphemy somewhat."

The prince leaves while firing such parting shot.

I didn't think that Toruma would be the one who restored peace to this place.
Nevertheless, I'm worried with the way that prince is speaking as if the demon lord will be revived here for certain. Don't tell me, the mastermind behind the [Wings of Liberty] isn't the third prince, is he?


◇


"Is that prince going to participate in the martial arts tournament too?"
"No, that's not it--you're doing well after getting that attack."
"I had a magic potion in my pocket just at the right time."

I wave the empty bottle to deceive her.
Toruma answers my question.

"I think his highness is going to attend the wedding ceremony of Rin's little brother, Tisrad, that is to be held after the tournament ends."

Tisrad is a grandchild of duke Oyugock, he's going to marry the daughter of marquis Elett it seems. The next duke is going to be the father of lady Ringrande, and the next one after that seems to be Tisrad's turn. It seem she has also gone home in order to attend this wedding.

"There's also a rumor that his majesty will also attend this ceremony."
"Toruma-niisan, that's a confidential matter. Please don't spread it around too much."

The maid recommends me to change my tattered clothes to new ones, so I leave from here.

Still, the development is progressing by leaps and bounds.

The settled matters are, [The third prince, Shalrick, wants to make lady Ringrande his bride.], [Lady Ringrande does not want that.], [The little brother of lady Ringrande is going to get married], I guess.
The unsettled matters are, [The king might come for the wedding ceremony.], [The third prince and his companions might be certain that the demon lord would appear in the dukedom capital.]

It's scary if a different demon lord appears during the wedding ceremony.

When I'm going to leave Toruma's residence after changing clothes, lady Ringrande calls out to me.

"You're better than I've thought. Come to the castle if you want to become stronger. I'll give you some lessons while I'm in the dukedom capital."

I'd be glad to receive her lessons, but I hate to do it in a conspicuous place like the castle.

"I'll say this just in case, it's not like I've recognized your relationship with Sera alright?"

Like I said, it's a misunderstanding.
When I've exhausted myself telling her that it's a "Misunderstanding", she gets angry instead, "What are you dissatisfied with Sera with".  What an incoherent person.

Arisa secretly says, "A tsundere has come", is this tsundere?



◇


"I won't forgive him."
"That's right. It's good that he's the third prince."
"You're right~ That's the silver lining."

It seems that lady Karina who's being indignant cannot comprehend Arisa's and my words.

"See, if that became the king of this era, it'd be hard to live in this kingdom."
"When that happen, I have no choice but to move to Saga empire."

To help improve lady Karina's mood a bit, Arisa and me are joking around for a bit.

"Y, you can't desuwa. Satou is father's retainer, so you mustn't leave."

Lady Karina presses on me as if shaken, speaking  worryingly. Close. Lady Karina, you're close. If you're this close, various things will hit--

Nana's breast are great, but lady Karina's volumes are extraordinary. I'm dangerously almost get adrift.

"Kick."

We've been havng a conversation on the courtyard of earl Walgock's mansion, but Mia appears out of nowhere and kicks me. She forcibly puts herself between lady Karina and me, opening some distances.

I tell lady Karina, "The thing about Saga empire is just a joke.", while patting Mia's head. I think she says something like, "Is, is that so, then it's fine desuwa", while blushing for a bit.


◇


In the evening of this day, I get entangled with the grumblings of lady Karina and her maids about the matter with the prince. Someone from the maid trope has brought liquor so I keep Arisa and the others away. I don't want to repeat that tragedy again.

Liza has been dispatched as the watchdog, she's participating in the drinking bout together with me. Liza certainly doesn't get hangover, but she goes to sleep instead. She's sleeping in a beautiful posture while sitting even now.

The two younger maids are smashed, they're sleeping on my laps. Lady Karina's gazes look scary.

"Satou! You should be gentler with me desuwa."
"That's right, chevalier-sama should make a rice porridge for me."

This is why drunkards are.
Lady Karina and Pina are only saying what they want to say each. They probably won't remember what they've said themselves tomorrow.

Raka wisely keeps silent.
I was going to follow its exemplar, but the two were hanging on each of my sides while saying, "Hey, are you listening?", and, "Does chevalier-sama prefer flat chest or kyonyuu, which is it!" One side feels too good, I'm not able to push them away.

Let's decline any invitation for drinking bout from tomorrow on.
Since the drunk Lady Karina is erotic, it's a bit hard to get entangled like this.

Let's make the rice porridge as the main gentle menu for the breakfast tomorrow. 8-10. To the Duke's Castle

Satou's here. During my school days, there was this wonderful catchphrase from the often-airing merchant's CM, "Crossing thousands of miles for meals." Much less thousands of miles, I've crossed over worlds instead.


◇


Why is this happening.

"Chevalier-sama, we've finished peeling the prawns' shells."
"Ah, not like that, you have to cover this with the flour once."
"Are we really going to use these leaves?"
"Yes, please wash the perilla with water."

Lulu and me are frantically making tempura with the duke's chefs in the duke's castle kitchen.

It was several hours before that--


◇


"Chevalier-sama, a messenger has come from the duke's castle."

Shelna-san told me while looking like she was seeing something heartwarming.
Right now I'm being toyed like a dress-up doll by Arisa under the pretext of the fitting session for the ball.

"Did you make any promise?"
"No, the plan today is only for me to attend the ball in the castle from the evening."

I tear off Arisa who has been using the opportunity to touch me all over while taking measurements, and change to the robe that Lulu has handed to me. I see that my hair isn't disordered from the mirror that Liza is holding, so I go to the messenger just as it is.

The one waiting in the room is the duke castle's consul aide--or not, it's the assistant who is taking notes in the back back then. He's saying that the duke wants to meet me in secret.

In secret.

In other words, it must be about the matter with the prince yesterday.
It shouldn't possibly be because of lady Sera. Even if lady Ringrande makes a fuss over the misunderstanding, lady Sera is still a miko of Tenion temple. Her name is also not Sera Oyugock, but [Sera], she's probably the so-called nun. Even if I make advances at her, we won't be able to get married. Before that, I don't even have any intention of making one.

Just in case, I ask about the subject to the messenger-san, but he doesn't know the detail after all.
For now, I'll have Arisa follows me to the castle.

"Arisa."
"What? This looks good on me right? You can praise me to your heart contents now~."

She's wearing the exact same maid uniform as the maids in Muno castle. Her blond wig isn't only styled in twin tail, but they're also loosely rolled. So this is the reason why she's coaxed me in making the hair iron-like magic tool the other day.

"Yeah, it's cute, it's cute. However, we're going to the castle, so take them off."

I tell Arisa to take off the slaver collar that she's put herself. She hasn't been using it recently, so what happens?

"If I wear it with maid uniform, won't you suddenly get a rush of immoral urge and become tempted to push me down?"
"I won't."

She says "Chiee" due to my immediate answer, and removes the collar.
I'm glad that the messenger is in the other carriage.


◇


"Leon's written in the letter that sir Pendragon isn't only well-versed in swordsmanship, and magic, but also in cooking."

Who's this Leon again.
Oh right, it's baron Muno's name if I'm not mistaken. I wonder what did he write in the letter.
We're in the same room as the one I've met with the duke in, a few days ago. Today, there aren't only the secret bodyguards around, lady Ringrande is also here.

"Fuhn, your swordsmanship yesterday is quite good, but you can also use magic huh. Next time when I'm coaching you, I'll have the combined techniques of swordsmanship and magic--"
"Rin."
"Ara, I'm sorry, grandfather."

According to the information from Shelna-san, it seems that the duke spoils his grandchild, lady Ringrande.
I've also got a bonus information that tells the third son of the duke who has kidnapped Sera for the [Wings of Liberty] is currently under house arrest under the guise of recuperation in one of the spire.
Confirming on my map, members of [Wings of Liberty], except the ones who have been gathering in earl Bobi's mansion and escaped to the city's suburb, are imprisoned in the dungeon below the castle.

"And so, I'd like you to show off your cooking skill for the ball tonight."
"I do not know what baron-sama has described in regard to my cooking, but I'm only good at making food suited for plebian's palate, as for high class dishes--"
"Come to think of it, Sera has praised your cooking too, you must've won her favor with your cooking haven't you."
"Rin. Leave here if you're going to pick a quarrel with the guest."
"I'm sorry, grandfather, it wasn't on purpose."

The duke seem like he can't match her, he looks down-hearted.

"I do not mean of you to make every dishes in the banquet.  I don't mind if you only make that dish called Tempura that Leon's written."
"Then, I will try to live up to duke-sama's expectation despite my shortcoming."

I wasn't able to bring up the matter about the third prince from yesterday, but it'd be better for me to get good impressions from the duke. I'm not thinking of making him my ally, but at least I don't want to make an enemy out of him.
I don't care if the third prince wants to attack me, but it'll be troublesome if he meddles with my companions.


◇


"You good sir over there, I've got just the riight ideas to perk it up."

Arisa, why are you saying it like an underling.

"Say it normally."
"It's okay isn't it, just for a bit."

Summarizing Arisa's suggestions, they're ideas she's got from dishes in manga. I decide to pick something that can actually be made from among those ideas and practice it.
I'm led to a kitchen by a maid, it's become a battlefield for the people who are preparing for tonight.

"Oh, yer', no, err~, you are the noble they exaggeratedly call miracle chef huh, is it?"

This is the first time I've heard that nickname.
Still, he's trying too hard to use polite speechs.

"I'm sorry, our boss is certainly skilled, but he's not good with words, he can't speak polite speech well."

I see.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Satou Pendragon. It's fine for you to speak like usual if you're bad with polite speech."

When I say so, the head-chef and the chef who's followed him plainly look relieved.

"Oh, sorry bout that. I'm an old friend of the head chef at Gururian viceroy's place y'see. He's sent me a letter praising you."

Ah, that person is it. When I got some free times the day after the banquet, I made him teach me how to make the sauce and various techniques.

"Use this place here, it's a bit cramped, but there are all kinds of cooking utensils available. These two here are in charge of miscellaneous chores, call them if you need ingredients."
"Yes, thank you for everything."

I ask an errand boy in the mansion to call Lulu here. Recently, Lulu's cooking skill has become equal to an expert, so if Lulu who knows my way of cooking comes, It'll really help.


◇


I've prepared three kind of dishes.

The first is the tempuras as requested by the duke. The deep-fried food in this world are mostly fried with oils made from animals, but since it looks like it's bad for the body, I use oil from oily-salad-like vegetable. I'm able to make tempura sauce that's more delicious than usual since there are katsuoboshi in the duke castle's ingredient storeroom, maybe because it can be transported here via the river.
Half of the tempuras are fried and put on the table, and the other half are fried on the spot when someone is going to eat them with the help of Lulu and servers who are standing by near the table, that's the plan.

The second is aspic jellies. It seems to be a normal dish among the commoners, but it's not something that matches the dining table of nobles. Arisa's suggested to make it from colorful ingredients so it looks vivid, and I've unintentionally made its appearance by hand.

Being colorful is one, but there's also another meaning to it--

"Hou, you've splendidly created the crest of our duke's house on the dish."

I'm glad that it seems to be well-received.
However, since it's a family crest, everyone only admires at it, and no one puts their hands on it.

If the gentleman at the prime of his life who was together with lady Ringrande didn't say "Looks delicious", no one would probably have eaten it until the end. I should have thought about the design better.

"Fumu, this is the first time I've tasted this flavor, but it looks like the dish called jelly that has been lost since the era of ancestor king Yamato. It's truly delicious."
"It's true desuwane. This fish thing is delicious, but this red thing is also delicious. ...Kuh, no matter how delicious it is, Sera is off-limit."

This person is really obstinate.

"Hou, he's the man that Rin's mentioned, is he."
"Pleased to meet you for the first time. I'm Satou Pendragon."
"Ooh, the hero-dono of the defensive battle of Muno city is it. Toruma boasted greatly about you. You've also done great in Gururian city I've heard."

This gentleman is the father of lady Ringrande, the next duke.
At any rate, Toruma is the cause huh. Who's a hero. Arisa who's crouching below the table says in low voice, "Toruma is pretty good at lobbying."  Looks like she's shrewdly taking the small dishes and enjoying them.
<TLN: Hero here is written as "Eiyuu", different than the usual hero "Yuusha", which literally means "brave person.">

"Sera is a gentle good child, but she's not suited with the lifestyle of nobles. Moreover, right now she's left the duke house for the temple. If you want to take that child back to the secular life, you have to persuade the Tenion temple's Saintess-sama first."
"The thing about me wooing Sera-sama is a misunderstanding on Ringrande-sama's part--"

I explain myself normally to the next duke, and the misunderstanding is cleared. I wish lady Ringrande follows his example.

"Hou, have you changed your job from a remote hero to a servant?"

The third prince appears wearing young noble-like attires while speaking unpleasantly. Today, he's only bringing the holy knight at the prime of his life along, the battle maniac boy doesn't seem to be here.

There's no need for him to come here deliberately, what a troubling thing to do. 8-11. To the Duke's Castle (2)

Satou's here. There are a lot of women who are light eaters, but it's said that that there are even more women who have a different stomach for snacks. And then, that doesn't change even in the parallel world.


◇


"Prince, he's the favorite of my father. My father and me are also fans of his cookings."

When I was thinking how to deal with the prince who had come to pick a quarrel, the next duke threw the lifeboat.
It seems that the prince has only seen lady Ringrande and me, he looks surprised when he sees the next duke after he calls out to the prince.

As expected, the opponent is too bad, the prince looks troubled. I can see Arisa's smirking face and eyes behind the table. She's giving a peace sign with her small hand. How nostalgic.

"My, your highness Sharlick, so you're here. Please let us hear about the royal capital over here by all mean."

A woman with a somewhat thick make-up appears after she pushes her way through the crowd and invites the prince.
The prince takes advantage of this, says his farewell noncommittally and goes toward those women.

"Fumu, it'll be good if that man mellows a bit more."
"That's impossible. He hasn't changed in 10 years."
"If we're talking about swordsmanship, he's among the best in Shiga kingdom, but..."
"Father, a person's personality isn't proportional to his strength. If it is, then even Masaki will be, more."

Lady Ringrande was about to complain about the hero, but she put her hand on her mouth and lamented her verbal slip.

"Is the Shiga Eight Swords famous?"
"Are you really a noble of this kingdom?"
"Pardon me, it's because I come from the countryside."

As I'm told, the Eight Shiga Swords are titles given to the eight top swordsmen in the holy knight which is the strongest in the kingdom. The prince seems to be a candidate of being one, but he has been given a permission by the king to wear the kingdom's treasure, the holy sword Claiomh Solais.
By the way, the favorite cane of the ancestor king Yamato is to be used by the top imperial court magician in successive generations. It seems the reason why the king doesn't use the holy sword and the cane himself is because Yamato-san has implemented a system where they can only be used by the right person.

◇


After the next duke, and lady Ringrande leave, the young nobles that have been watching us from a distance gather with great interest, they eat the dishes with great relish.
They ask about my relationship with lady Ringrande, but I honestly tell them that I've just been coached in the way of sword by her.
Even though the amount of food should have been quite a lot, they're completely gone before 30 minutes has elapsed. It seems to be the victory of the appeal of deep fried food, and curious-looking dish.

"Sir Pendragon, can I have your time for a bit?"

Lady Karina came with a man companion.
Although I've said 'man companion', it's not something erotic, he's the little brother of lady Karina, and the eldest son of baron Muno, Orion-kun. He's a 14 years old young man who's studying in the duchy capital. I've been wanting to meet him ever since we arrive in the duchy capital, and I've sent letters many times, but it's always been refused due to various reasons, so this is our first meeting.

"If it isn't, Karina-sama. I presume the one there is the next baron-sama. I am Satou Pendragon. Hereafter, Pleased to make your acquaintance."
"Umu, I'm Orion Muno. Chevalier Satou, please be at ease."

Orion-kun introduces himself while nodding coolly. He might be in the age where he wants to be seen as someone's important with all his might. He only speaks in low voice when he's saying his name, the name given by the hero-loving baron is probably to blame. It's unfortunate.
They go toward the dance hall after we chat for a bit. Just in case, I advise them to be careful of the prince. 

Right at that time, the dance party finally begins at the center hall. I don't have any intention of making passes on women since it looks like it'll become rumors in the upper society. After all, the unmarried women are all 13-18 years old, they feel somewhat too young so the fact that I don't feel any urge toward them becomes my reason.

Since the guests who are young women have increased, I decide to announce the third dish.

It's milk crepes, Mia's favorite. I've also added strawberry slices in addition to the fresh cream on the crepe since Arisa's found strawberries in the food storehouse.

"My, it smells good desuwa."
"It'll be done soon, so please wait for a bit."

I interpose the fresh cream and the strawberry in the crepes after it's done. Lulu put the finished crepes on the plate. Grabbing them by hands seem to be NG according to the head chef, so I place small fork and knife on it, and pass it to the young noble woman.

The girl's face is beaming after she bites the crepes once. Her face is full of make-up, but only at that time does it looks innocent and appropriate of her age.
The young noble men who've seen that try to invite the girl for a dance when she's finished eating. Go for it, boys and girls.

"Hey wait, don't show me that old man face."

Arisa said so while eating a small crepe below me.
Isn't it fine, I'm just cheering on them.

I continue frying the ordered crepes from the girls while having no time to reply Arisa.
There was no one who mistook me for an employee, maybe due to the expensive-looking clothes I was wearing. Thanks to that, we introduced each other whenever I took order for the crepe, and I memorized more than 100 girl's names. This was the first time that I began to think I should had used a shorter family name.


◇


The ingredients that I've prepared have all exhausted up, so I ask Lulu and Arisa to bring the pre-made fresh cream and strawberries that are being cooled in the kitchen here.

"It smells nice, doesn't it."
"I'm sorry, we've used up all the ingredients, so please wait for half an hour for your turn."
"My, it's quite popular, isn't it."

When I look up, there's the head-miko of Tenion temple.
Why?

"It's been a while, Satou-sama."

Lady Sera has come with her. There are two arrogant-looking priests of Parion and Garleon temples behind the head-miko. Both of them are thin men with white hair. There are miko girls who have been kidnapped with Sera beside her.

We're chatting while waiting for Lulu and Arisa to come back, it seems that the other two miko are also blood relatives of the duke. They're from branch families, unlike Sera who's a direct descendant. The two are alike since they're relatives, but I can distinguish them easily due to their different black and brown hairs.
Looks like the girls have come here to congratulate Sera's big brother, Tisrad, for his marriage. Since they want to meet him before the wedding day, it's a good opportunity today.

Lulu and Arisa have returned, so I resume the crepe-making. When the crepes enter miko girls' mouths, just like with the noble girl earlier, the composed faces of the miko changes into delighted faces of normal girls.
Sera notices the noble girls who are holding back on ordering the crepes due to the miko girls, and suggests to them to move away for a bit.

The crepe's batter is gone halfway through, so I use Freeze Water on the long and narrow melons that Arisa's brought to make sherbets. I've practiced doing this with citrus fruits in order to raise my proficiency in adjusting magic power, so the result is quite good even if the fruit used is different. Since Arisa and Mia who have eaten all the failed products got stomachaches before, this time I only make a few before ending it.


◇


"Chevalier-sama, would you be fine to dance with me?"

I wonder if my face looks like it's easy to invite. I've been invited by girls who seem to have just debuted in the upper society since a while ago. I can dance with no problem thanks to Society skill. Incidentally, I got [Dance] skill.
Several of the girls that I was dancing with invited me to drop by their houses. Apparently it's not because I've become popular, Arisa reminds me that it's because they expect me to bring snacks as presents for visiting their houses.

I don't have any misunderstanding okay?

"You're quite popular aren't you, Satou-sama."
"That's not the case at all. I was invited to dance as thanks for the snacks."
"That's not the case at all."

It was Sera that stepped up.
Even though her words contained some pricks when she first called me out, she began to giggle later.

"Would you dance with me as well?"
"Yes, I'd be happy to."

Lady Ringrande would probably become noisy again, but I couldn't decline her invitation.

"Satou-sama is quite skilled."
"Sera-sama is also quite skilled."
"The [Sama] is unnecessary. I am not a noble anymore, so please call me [Sera]."

As expected, calling her by name would be bad. I feel like Lulu's and Arisa's gazes are stabbing me, even though I can't see them from here.

"Sera-sama, miko is also quite deservedly enough to be called with [Sama]."
"Satou-sama looks so kind, yet also unexpectedly mean."

Pochi said that to me too the other day. I should note it.
The dance ends safely even while I'm being bewildered by Sera who's acting uncannily intimate to me. It's been decided for me to help the Tenion temple distributing food during our stay due to Sera who's surprisingly good at negotiating.

"Thank you for the delicious snacks today. Please get along well with Sera, alright."

The head-miko drops a bomb in a low voice while leaving.

"I will keep the matter of that night a secret, so please don't worry. You look cute behind the mask."

Why is it blown.


◇


"Must be because of your voice."

Arisa said so while looking astonished.
Dang, I had neglected getting strange voice skill. Let's practice it tonight.
But well, the level and the name are completely different, it's probably going to be fine even if I keep feigning ignorance. The head-miko seemed like she was just baiting me too.

"Thank you for waiting, master, Arisa."

Lulu who had been called by the head-chef returned.
It seems she's been invited to work there. Head-hunting like that, I can't let my guard down toward that old man.

We're allowed to leave as the duke's family has left, but the dance party is still continuing, and we can hear the music from here.

"Young lady, how about a song?"
"Y, yes, I'd be happy to."

I dance together with Lulu among the lights from the mansion. I had been dancing with Arisa before Lulu came, but since it was received better than I had thought, I also invited Lulu.

"Ah, this is like a dream."
"I'm glad to hear that."

Lulu and me together continue to dance round and round forever.

"H, hey wait, how long are you two going to dance, please change with me~."
"Ufufu, oh Arisa, you're cute."

I thought that Lulu would stop when she became tired, but since it didn't, the dance continued until Arisa who was jealous intruded.
The three of us continues dancing together while alternating before the eyes of the maids who occasionally pass through the corridor as if they see something heartwarming.

A day like this is good once in a while.