Ha, it's been a long time since I've tatami

　After finishing my drink after the bath, I was lying in my room, as I had some time before dinner.

　The room, which is about the size of a dining room in a mansion, has tatami mats, giving it the feel of a Japanese style room.

　The walls, which are made of high-quality wood in a soothing cream color, give a sense of security without giving a sense of entrapment.

　...I wonder what it is. It's been a long time since I've had this kind of Japanese style room, and it makes me feel nostalgic.

　When you lie down like this, the faint smell of tatami mats wafts through the air.

　Ah, it's a nostalgic smell. I used to take a nap in the Japanese-style room at my grandma's house.

　Listening to the sound of wind chimes, eating watermelon and taking a nap in the airy Japanese room.

　Smell is something closely related to memories.

　After enjoying the smell of tatami for the first time in a while, I get up and walk over to the window.

　Since I'm not tall enough, I get on the chair that's set up and open the window.

　The room I'm in is on the second floor of an inn. Naturally, when it comes to a ryokan, the structure is larger than the surrounding buildings, and even on the second floor, it is quite high, and I could see the surrounding scenery well.

　In the distance, the setting sun sinking into the sea and the city of Kagura, illuminated in reddish brown, could be clearly seen.

''Well that's a nice view.''

　I murmur to myself as I rest my elbows on the edge of the window and watch the scenery.

　The breeze drifting softly in the air seems to caress my cheeks, and it feels good. I feel my bangs sway slightly.

　Looking down the main street from the second floor of the inn, I see all sorts of people: a woman in a brightly colored kagura suit, and a man walking around in a loose, austere colored kagura suit.

　Men running around carrying something made of wood, and boys and girls running around shouting with joyful voices.

　It is fun to just imagine what kind of work he is doing and what kind of things those children are playing with in their hands.

　I guess it's the same as the Japan I used to live in, but it's a completely different life and culture. After all, there is magic here.

　Anyway, even if we have a similar culture, it's just a matter of time ago, and I, who lived in the present day, only know the superficial part of it, such as history textbooks and dramas, so it's no wonder I don't understand it.

　I wonder if the landscape of Japan was like this in the past. When I thought so, I felt as if I went back in time.

　I felt a bit happy and wanted to go sightseeing.

　But it is getting dark today and I am tired. We can do it tomorrow, so let's look forward to it.

'Oi!　Al!　Dinner!

Let's go!

'Wow, I love this room. A room isn't so much about size as it is about comfort.

　As I was gazing at the scenery in a daze, the door suddenly opened and Rumba, Irvine and Malt walked in.

'I'm glad you called me, but you should at least knock,'

'I don't care about that, now we're eating!　Let's go, Al!

　I warn him, but Roomba's head seems to be full of food and he pushes me back to hurry.

　Well, I'm hungry too, and I'm in a hurry.

　After all, it's my first kagura dish, and it's a ryokan dinner.

　I put on the clogs that have been prepared in the room with high expectations.

　Of course, the Roomba's are all wearing clogs as well.

　It's fun and fresh to wear brand-new shoes, and it's easy because I can wear them barefoot.

　I finish putting on my clogs as well and go out into the hallway.

''Do you want to do that again this time?''

Yeah, of course. Yeah, of course. - You sure you got enough ammo?

Of course. I snatched them from the other rooms so the landlady and the staff wouldn't know.

Then it's all good.

　In the corridor, the employees of the Trierra Chamber of Commerce were creeping around, having finished carrying in their luggage and bathing in the hot water. They were all eating dinner together.

　In the blink of an eye, the corridor was filled with people talking, it was like a school trip.

　But still, what are they saying about bullets or something they've ripped off?　It bothers me a bit.

　It's hard to hear the sound of clogs as everyone walks by.

'These clogs are so easy. I'm definitely going to buy these clogs.

I like that I can wear them barefoot and wander around in them at a moment's notice. Thanks to the high soles, it's hard to get sand in them even when walking outside.

　Irvine and Malt talk about clogs.

　Yeah, I'm determined to get some clogs to go home too. Everyone else has slippers, and I don't think I'll need them because I might not need them.　If the soles are high like the ones I'm wearing now, people might not like it because they say it's hard to walk in them.

　No, but the ones with low soles would be easier to walk in, so they might be cooler and more pleasing in the summer season to come.

　However, I'm afraid that if I give these to Elinora's sister, I'll make her angry. It's not like slippers, they have quite a bit of hardness, so I think it would hurt a lot if they hit you. It's troubling........

''I'm looking forward to Kagura's meal!

　Well, not now. It's kagura rice, right? I agree with Rumba.


　◆ ◆ ◆


　One of the Japanese-style rooms in the inn, the Tsubaki-no-ma. The room is much larger than the room I spent my time in, and it's so large that I wondered if we were having a big party.

　The tatami mats were lined up in a row so far, it was very comfortable.

　I took off my clogs and went up to the Tsubaki-no-Ma, surprised at the size of the room.

　On the tatami mats, there were several long tables lined up, and on the tables were colorful kagura dishes.

　Whoa, that's what I'm talking about, kagura. There's sashimi and soy sauce too.

It's quite beautiful. It's different from the flamboyant aristocrat meals, isn't it?

　Irvine looks at the Kagura dishes laid out and exclaims in admiration.

　Incidentally, the term nobleman's rice is mainly used by maids, butlers and knights who serve the nobility. I once heard a maid or butler at a party in the royal capital blurting out something like 'I want to eat a nobleman's meal' in the corridor.

'Where are we seated?'

　Roomba, who can't wait to be seated and eat, looks around and mutters.

　The employees of the Chamber of Commerce are already seated at the tables around the area, so it's hard to judge at a glance where they are free.

I think it's the upper seat, since I'm a nobleman at least. See, there was Tory and his friends over there.

　At the table in the back, far from the entrance, Tory, Aleusha, and Ilya are sitting at a table, with four cushions left blank.

　When I point to them, they may have noticed, too, and they smile and wave to me.

　We find a seat for us, so we move and sit on the cushions.

　Secretary, Rumba, Tory, and me.

　They are lined up in a row: Irvine, Malt, Ilya, and Aleusha. In front of us are Aleusha and Ilya in yukata, so the view is really gorgeous.

But even so, it's a gorgeous dinner.

Mr. Alfried was looking forward to Kagura's food. He chose an inn with good food.

　The dishes on the table were truly gorgeous: rice, salted fish, steak, simmered wild vegetables, an assortment of sashimi, a dish I've never seen before, and a covered teacup.

　The three-dimensional and delicious presentation of the food, the brightly colored vegetables, the decorative cutouts, and the selection of plates to match the ingredients, all made the customers happy even before they ate.

　I'm sure Bartolo would have been delighted to see this. I think this kind of technique of making food look good can be applied to ordinary dishes as well.

What's this?　Oh!　Dinner!

　Roomba opens a large bowl in the center of the table and squeals with delight.

'Yes, use that for a refill of rice. If they run out, just ask us and we'll bring you a new one.

　I don't know when she came over, but the landlady calls out to me from behind.

''Oh!　You can have all the refills you want!

Yes!

　Yeah, that big bowl of five will be gone in one Roomba.

I don't think it's an octopus.

'.......... I'm glad.

　Aleusha and Ilya seemed relieved to check out the assortment of sashimi in front of them.

　Apparently the two of them were lightly traumatized after eating an octopus without knowing it.

　I'd be surprised if the octopus that we're told not to eat was served at an inn.

'Huh?　What's this?　I can't open the d*mn lid.　Is something stuck to you?

　Irvine is holding the lid of his teacup and voicing his doubts.

　That's the one that often happens with suckers.

　As I recall, when you put something warm in the bowl and put the lid on, the temperature drops and the volume decreases, so it decompresses and the lid sticks together.

　This is Kagura with rice, and I would expect something called miso soup.

'Oh, that's just a matter of pushing the bowl down and letting air in to make it easier to open.

　The landlady quickly moves to the other side, by Irvine, and opens it up to show him.

'Oh, what's this brown soup?'

'A soup called miso soup. It's like a soup.

　There was miso soup there, just as I had expected.

　As expected of Kagura, he even made miso soup. I'm really happy because I'm a fan of Japanese food in the morning.

　From now on, we'll have a Japanese breakfast set of rice, miso soup, fish, and an egg roll. Logan is going to be very happy about that. I'm going to use it to negotiate for him to make an octopus oven or something.

　While we were being briefed on the food, Tory stood up, as if all the employees were present.

　Everyone was itching to have a cup in their hands.

　By the way, I don't drink alcohol, so I drink green tea. I'm lonely.

Everyone has taken their seats, haven't they?　Well, we've finally arrived at Kagura. It's been a long but short trip. Well, I don't want to say a lot of things in front of such a delicious-looking meal, so please eat and drink as much as you can to recover from the fatigue of the trip and nourish your spirit!　Cheers!

Cheers!

　Everyone raised their cups to Tory's toast.

　Yes, we finally made it to Kagura.