Published at 3rd of April 2019 11:54 pm

Chapter 25: With Everyone, The Spring Harvest Festival

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“Seiren. I heard from Kuon, but do you really want to go to the Spring Festival?”

My father asked me during the evening meal of the same day that I learned about the existence of The Spring Harvest Festival.

Kuon-sensei, you sure got your business done quickly.

“Ah… uhm, I thought that it looked fun when I heard about it… Uhm, if it’s impossible for me to come, then it’s okay.”

“I see… I understand your desire to go there, but I’m still worried because there will be so many people there.”

It is true that I really want to go, so I answered like that after drinking one share of the water. My mother’s reaction, well, it was exactly as I expected. Father was also troubled by it, I understand it since it was shown all over his face.

Oh well. I really have said things that made them very troubled, eh.

“Tou-sama, Kaa-sama. I will also come there, so is it really not possible for Ane-sama to also come there?”

Then, a voice could be heard. Apparently, it was the sound of Saryuu’s fork and knife, but you’re not supposed to make a noise from using them. Not caring about the fact that it was a breach of etiquette over here, that little brother of mine cut into our conversation. He is pouting a bit, but it’s not because the food is bad. In the first place, Shiiya’s chef makes really delicious meals, and I’m grateful for that.

As far as the meal is concerned, come to think about it. Saryuu has been living here way longer than me.

“Saryuu, you have come to the festival before. How was it?”

“That’s right. It was very lively with people, and it was really fun. There were a lot of shops, and there were lots of pastries and food thar you don’t usually see in the house.”

“T, there, Saryuu.”

My father became flustered and raised his voice, since he probably thinks that I might want to go all the more after hearing that story.

Yeah, it sounds really fun, and Saryuu’s expression when he talked was as if he had so much fun, and I also think that I really would like it if I can come, too.

But, they might think of their daughter that once disappeared and finally just returned, what if she didn’t return after she went out.

Both father and mother would be terribly scared of it.

As I thought, it’d be okay if I were not to go. But before I could speak, my mother wiped her mouth with a napkin and turned to face father.

“It’s obvious that we’ll be worried, but Seiren will also get bored if she’s only surrounded by the mansion’s property. As long as she has someone to accompany her, isn’t it fine if it’s only for one day, dear?”

“Uh… Hmhm… But, well…”

Eh, mother also thinks that it’s alright for me to go? Although she must also be very worried about me.

Upon seeing my father who’s mumbling to himself, I begin to think.

Errrr, what am I supposed to say in response?

What if I were to say that it’s alright to not go there, or what if I were to say tha I really want to go? Towards me who’s troubled, mother slightly sighed and folded her arms. And then she speaks out clearly.

“If you’re that worried about your daughter, it should be alright to arrange security outside. Isn’t that right?”

“… I, is that so. Well, as long as you bring along Alica and the others, it should be alright.”

“Is it okay?”

Is it really alright?

Is it okay for me to go outside? As long as I’m together with Alica-san and the others. That is, well… if I’m alone then I won’t know the way and it will certainly trouble me, so I think it would be nice if I’m together with someone.

Or rather, what is with that “arrange the security”? Well, I also think that it would be no good if there is no security at all since there’ll be a lot og people, but I wonder if it’s really alright to have it arranged mainly because of me?

“Yeah. But I think that you’ll only be allowed to go outside for one day during the first day of the festival. Is that alright with you, Seiren?”

“T, thank you very much.”

I bowed to say my thanks to my mother who’s smiling in triumph. As the desserts were brought here, the conversation ended jut like that.

And then, during the Week of Spring Banquet, the first day.

“Seiren-sama. You look really good in it.”

“Ah. Somehow I feel more at ease like this.”

“The heels of the shoes are lower than usual, so it should be easier to walk in them.”

It’s not the dress I usually wear, but I’m wearing a simple white blouse and bright green skirt, also the flat shoes are the best part of it. My hair was tied into two using pink ribbons.

Alica-san and Minoa-san, too, are not wearing their usual maid clothes, instead they are wearing simple clothes. Alica-san wears a light-blue colored, and knee-length one piece, while Minoa-san wears a salmon pink shirt with a long white skirt.

“Alica-san looks more like a lady than I do. Minoa-san also looks pretty in simple clothes.”

“Is that so? I don’t think I changed a lot compared to how I am normally, thank you.”

“…Thank you for your compliments.”

Alica-san is really being modest, but I think that the maid’s clothing feels somewhat more like a uniform. But today’s one piece also has laces attached to its hem, it looks really cute.

Minoa-san tries to avert her eyes. It’s obvious that she’s shy from it. Or, how should I put it, when she looks like this, she feels like a cool onee-san. Although if she smiles a little more, she will look cute, but well, this is how Minoa-san is.

And, along with both of them, I go down towards the entrance hall. Over there, Yuzuruha-san, who’s normally there, is not present. Instead…

“Seiren-neesama. Today, me and this Kanna will accompany you.”

“I’m Kanna. It’s nice to meet you.”

In front of me, there’s Saryuu who’s wearing a light jacket along with suspender-styled pants, and a boyish maid-san wearing a lemon yellow shirt with a matching lattice mini skirt, the two of them are standing side by side. I see, so this person is Kanna-san?

“Eh, are you two coming with me as well?”

“That’s right. Tou-sama told me to go together with you since he is so worried over Nee-sama. I also got pocket money to spend for the festival.”

“This is Seiren-sama’s share. There’s around 5000 ieno. Here you go.”

“Ah, u, uhm, thank you.”

The wallet that Kanna-san handed down to me was the so-called coin purse (purse with a metal clasp). Well obviously the pouch doesn’t have any zipper to it.

Looking inside, there are various kinds of coins. I know the variety because Kuon-sensei taught me about them when I told her that I could go to the festival. What’s inside are 50 ieno, 100 ieno, 500 ieno, each of them is a blue copper coin. Judging by the color, it seems to be the same kind of metal used to make a 10 yen coin.

But, even if they are 50, 100, and 500 ieno coins, the total of them mixed altogether is 5000 ieno. In other words, it’s kind of heavy. Well, it seems that the paper money is distributed only in the standard metropolitan city, so it cannot be helped.

“I wonder if I should return the unused money later on?”

“Tou-sama won’t do something as stingy as that. Well then, let’s go, Nee-sama, and everyone too.”

Geh. I put on a bitter smile to Saryuu who’s pulling my arm. Besides, this kid, he’s only using me as an excuse to have fun himself, isn’t he? Well, it doesn’t matter, though.

It was my first time going outside, and I was welcomed by the liveliness. It might be due to the fact that it’s the time for festival, and what’s more, it’s the first day of it. There are various kinds of stores opening on both sides of the road and there are also a lot of people from the village who are selling and buying lots of things.

The Cheria trees that look like the Sakura trees that I know are lined up together, forming tree-lined avenues. Perhaps it is the main road since the width is quite spacious. The road is decorated with lots of Cheria flowers that have more reddish colored pink than Sakura flowers.

Flowers of other colors are decorating the shopfronts. Be it the burning red flowers, dazzling yellow flowers, and snow white flowers.

I don’t know why, but somehow I can only think of it as amazing.

“Seiren-sama, please calm down. You look like a country bumpkin.”

“Eh, ah, sorry. But that’s not wrong, too, I guess.”

“Since this is Nee-sama’s first festival experience, after all.”

It’s kinda fun to walk in one group with people while saying “kyaa, kyaa” out of excitement. I came to understand the feeling of a girl who’s walking down the streets along with her friends just like this.

“Waai, Onee-san, what about trying a honey candy?”

In front of me who’s looking around restlessly as I am fascinated by the surroundings, a candy that looks like the apple candy (Ringoame) is suddenly being presented. Eh, after reflexively receiving it, I turn to face the person who’s giving me the candy. I think that somehow I recognize that voice.

“Oriza-san?!”

“Thank you for your patronage. It’s 100 ieno.”

Oriza-san who’s wearing a bandana and a smaller apron than usual, smiled friendly and held out her hand. Ah, so it’s not free?

“Ah, that surprised me. Uhm, 100 ieno? Here you go.”

“Thank you for your continued patronage. Hmm, please enjoy the candy!”

Receiving the money, Oriza-san thanked me in a playful way, then walked away briskly. Ah, on the other side, there’s shop that’s selling candies.

“…Did she run a store?”

“No way. That must be a part of the security, right?”

I asked Saryuu who seems exasperated, but that doesn’t seem like a sneaky investigator, right? I mean, look at that.

…but when I think about it, there’s a possibility. Because somehow, all around the stores, I see some people who look like the maid-san and also the servants.

Also, I think there’s a dubious-looking amulet store. The owner has a long beard tied with a somewhat cute ribbon, wearing a hood with a huge star pattern.

“Hohoho, spring is the season of happiness, how about an amulet dyed with a berry color that invites happiness, young miss?”

“…Could you possibly be Jigen-san?”

Yes, it’s certainly the first voice that I heard after I returned to this world, so of course I’d remember it so well.

“What are you talking about? I’m just someone who sells amulets, who just happened to pass by. Now now, please have one.”

“…T, thank you… very much…”

“Thank you for your continued patronage. One is priced 350 ieno.”

“Ah, that’s right.”

So, it’s also charged for money. Ah well, isn’t it obvious.

The amulet I received in exchange was sized around a 500 yen coin… well, the size was roughly the same as the 500 ieno we used here, around that small size. It was a purple purse. Perhaps, there is a stone or something else inside of it.

Dyed in a berry color, could it be the fruit that resembled a purple strawberry that I ate before? If it’s an amulet of spring, then it really is perfect. But, is this also part of the security?

“Ah, Jigen-sama runs a store every year by himself. That amulet is quite popular for its overwhelming effectiveness, or so people say.”

I fell down hearing Minoa-san’s brief comment. Isn’t that diligent of him?

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