The next day, after getting to know Haru and Shuichi better than expected, me and Rumba were heading to the Shrine of the Water Goddess again today.

　The meeting time was only specified as morning, but no specific time was given.

　So I figured it was a reasonable time to meet them, so I ate breakfast and took a break before leaving the inn.

　By the way, Tory and his team had another business meeting today. Perhaps because they arrived in Kagura and started working in earnest yesterday, none of the members of the Chamber of Commerce seem to be busy.

　The members of the Silver Wind, who have a role to play as guards, are also busy because they have to keep up with them.

　After breakfast, they left with envious glances at me as I was elegantly sipping my green tea.

　The city of Kagura has been bustling with activity since this morning.

　Roomba and I walk away from the waves of people walking towards the center of the city, towards the quiet residential area.

　We walk down the street, avoiding the children running around outside and greeting a lady who is chatting with us as she does her laundry.

　That's how I crossed the bridge where I met Kojirou, and as I walked through the countryside and through the forest, I saw the stairs that still stood today.



Hey, you again?　I know Al has things to do today.

'It's going to take a lot less energy and a lot longer to climb such a long flight of stairs. See, that's the pace I'm going up, isn't it?

　I try my hand at climbing a few steps, but I'm too small and weak to go up as smoothly as the Roomba.

　It would be tough for Roomba to keep up with such a slow pace.

I thought, "Well, I'll just have to do it. I'll carry you up today.

Please.

　I let out a light sigh as the Roomba carries me up the stairs again today.

　The Roomba makes it easy for me to go up these steep stairs.

　It's not bad to breathe in the fresh morning air and see the beautiful streets of Kagura.

'Here you go, Al. We're here.

Uh-huh.

　I hadn't responded to anything, but I came to my senses with a huff as Roomba spanked me.

　I was gazing at the streets of Kagura in a daze, and before I knew it, I heard that I had reached the shrine at the top.

'Al, Roomba, you're late!'

　I guess I saw me and Roomba appear, or maybe it was Haru, who was apparently scribbling on the ground, shouting while holding a branch. By his side was Shuichi, who may have been keeping up with Haru's graffiti, holding a branch as well.

　It's a good idea to have a good time to meet people in the morning, and I came right after breakfast because I thought I'd be angry if I made them wait, but from Haru's point of view, it was too late.

''I'm still the one who came early, okay?

I'm faster than you. I'm not supposed to be the kind of guy who makes a woman wait.

　When I say this while being carried by Lumumba, Haru says it with a somewhat pompous look on her face.

　Even though she is such a small girl, I saw that Haru's mother is a moderately strong person, that she can remember the words using the gender of a woman.

''I mean, why is Al being carried by a rumba?''

　As I was thinking about this, Shuichi Eda looked up at me and said.

''That's because I'm a very great aristocrat--''

Because Al complained about being too lazy to go up the stairs.

　I was about to explain why I was being carried, but Roomba interrupted me on the way.

　Then, Haru and Shuichi all look at me with a jitzy gaze.

The first thing that comes to mind is the fact that it's possible for me, being a woman, to go up there by myself.　And didn't you say yesterday that you weren't that great at bobbing around?

'What do you mean a man can't be bothered to take this many flights of stairs?'

　What's wrong with thinking that going up the stairs is a chore? Well, I can climb a few dozen steps by myself, too.

　But there are several hundred steps here. It's really hard to go up them in the morning. However, Spring seems to have already climbed them. But even so, I don't think he'll listen to you properly.

I wanted to see Haru and Shuichi as soon as possible. It's a good idea to get the Roomba to help you, rather than going up on your own to do so.

No, no, no, I carried you yesterday and you had an after-dinner break today.

　Haru and Shuichi's gaze pierced again.

''Is this the mouth to talk about something superfluous?''

　I pinch the mouth of Roomba, who says something so inelegant that it's impossible to read the air.

It's true. If you're too lazy, Elinora and the Norse will give you a hard time when you get home.

Ugh!

　I frown when I hear Rumba's words.

　I really don't want that to happen. When I came back from King's Landing, the two of them squeezed me badly in practice.

　I don't want to go to Kagura again and get squeezed just because I haven't been practicing.

　Do you have a strange idea to avoid practice like this?

'Ho, it looks like Al's got some decent people around him.

You're going to come up there by yourself tomorrow, okay?　We'll be watching you from above!

Yeah. The stairs here are nice. Just going up there will strengthen your legs and feet. And if you go up here every day, Al's legs and feet will be strengthened, too!

　Haru and Shuichi talk to each other on their own while ignoring my opinion.

　Are they really going to make me go up the stairs?　

　It's going to be a bit of an unfashionable hassle, I think.

　Oh well. I have magic without the Roomba's help.

　I'm sure you'll be able to do that on your own without the help of Roomba. That's about as good as it gets.

　With that in mind, I slipped off Roomba's shoulders and landed on the ground.

"Huh?　Speaking of which, where is Kaede today?

　I change the subject naturally, so as not to make him start talking about working me out any more.

　I was soberly curious about it, but today, Kaede-san is nowhere to be seen.

　Since we were all having fun together yesterday, I thought that Kaede, my escort, would be there today from the start.......

''It looks like Kaede is too busy to come today.

'Really?　By any chance, is it because Kaede's brother, the one you were talking about yesterday, said he was going to quit his job?

Yeah. And apparently the brother and sister got into a fight, and today I'm going to duel with your brother.

　Haru replied to my words in a funny way.

　I'm sorry?　Are you sure about that?　And it's kind of a serious duel between brother and sister in a fight.

　But Kaede seems to be a swordsman and strict, so it's really possible.

'Heh, is that so?　Something's going on at the Kaede house, isn't it?

　Hearing Spring's words, Roomba nodded with a divine look on his face.

　You definitely don't sound like you're having a hard time with that voice.

'Hey, Spring. You're not supposed to talk about other people's personal things like that.

It's good. Al said that Kaede told him about it, so...

　Shuichi lightly lectures Haru for talking too much.

　Well, even if you are an acquaintance, it's not something I would casually teach you.

　If it's just a light jest, but it seems to be a serious brother-sister battle, so this is not the place to step in.

　But, I'm sorry Kaede, but I don't know her face or her name, and I'm going to support her brother who wants to quit his job.

　It doesn't seem to be a country where you can't afford to lose your job, but quitting your job is something that you have to be prepared to do. After all, there is no more stable money coming in, and I will have to find a different path on my own from now on.

　I don't know if you've found something you want to do or if you got tired of it, but you have to have an extraordinary resolve to do it.

　I salute that brother for trying to do what I couldn't do in my previous life.

'Oh, God!　All right, I'm done preaching!

　Haru, perhaps disgusted by Shuichi's sermon, shouts out in a disgusted manner.

　Shuichi is also satisfied with what he has said to some extent, but he doesn't seem to have any more to say.

　The mischievous sister who was scolded and the serious brother who lectured her. It's a smiling sight.

'Alright, Al!　Today, you and I are going to have a magic shootout!

No!

Why?

　I'm not going to be able to say no to you," he said.

　It's a very good idea to be able to have a good time with them.

Then we should practice, too!

'Yeah, I thought a lot about how to fight yesterday when I got home. It's not going to be easy today.

　Perhaps because they saw me and Haru, Rumba and Shuichi move to start training.

　It's bad, if we don't do this, Haru will be inspired by the other side.

　Like yesterday, I have to play and talk about something interesting to distract Haru....

　Oh?　Funny story?

　Come to think of it, this is a Japanese country, but what is the state of affairs regarding creative stories?　

　I'm wondering if the same Japanese past life story will work for the Kagura people.

Hey, Spring.

What?　Jenga wouldn't do that today, would he?

　Spring gives me a somewhat wary look, as if she thinks I'm going to try to do Jenga again.

　In response, I say.

Have you heard of Mito Gold and Mitojiro?

...What's that?

　I looked at Spring, who tilted his head back, and I wondered if we could manage today.