This time, Saki and Erza stayed in a guest room on the second floor. They chose a Japanese-style room at Erza's request.
"Well, this is an interesting room.
A zataku (Japanese low table) is placed in the center of the room, and a zabuton (Japanese cushion) and a za-chair are provided.
Saki climbed onto the tatami matted room with her bare feet and fell in love with the feeling.
"It's called tatami," she says. I like to lie here."
Elsa lies down on the floor. Saki imitates her and lies down.
"It feels cool and not damp, which is also nice. It's not like this on a carpet."
Saki seems to have grown fond of lying down as well.
"Yeah. And this futon."
I opened the sliding door and found a futon in the next room.
"It's so comfortable."
The golem maids are hanging the futons out to dry in rotation, and they're all puffy and full.
Incidentally, all the futons used in Martha's house had been replaced with the same ones.
They will be sold to the villagers at the same price as regular futons, as a special price for the village of Kaina. The maker is Erza.
"This is the kind of futon that my brother Jin gave to my brother Rai," she said.
Saki came over and lay down next to Elsa, again amazed at the texture.
"This is wonderful! I wish I had one of these in my house.
That was the impression anyone who had slept on one of these futons would have.
"Well, I'll make you one next time.
"Thank you, Elsa!"
Saki hugged Erza on the futon to her delight. It was a dangerous sight to behold.
It was still early and Saki had come from Shoro where there was a time difference between the two countries, so it was too early for her to go to bed.
They moved to their original room and sat down at the table.
They are wearing guest pajamas, so their bodies are comfortable. Since there was no one else watching them, Saki was in a very relaxed posture.
In other words, she is lying on her side with her elbows propped up and her head propped up. She smells a little like her father.
"Saki, as usual..."
"Yes, yes, I'm still me. Erza is as well-behaved as ever.
Saki sometimes misbehaves like this, perhaps as a reaction to the strict discipline she received as a little girl. Erza, on the other hand, is so well-behaved that it's hard to believe that she was so active when she was a little girl.
"Yes, my mother told me so," she said.
"Oh, I see, I knew it... Meane ...... said that she was your mother."
Saki, like Reinhardt, seemed to have guessed that Meene was Erza's biological mother.
"But back then, Meine-san was kind of, you know, intense, but seeing her today, she seems calm and kind."
"Yes. Mother is kind."
Erza gave Saki a happy smile.
"Elsa, you have a nice face. Before we left on our trip, you were not very expressive. But now that I've seen you for the first time in a while, I can't help but notice. Is it because of Jin?"
"Yes. Jin is a great benefactor."
"...... I didn't mean it that way. Well, okay. Erza, if you don't mind, can you tell me the rest of what you heard in the bath earlier? This is the first time I've been out of the country. I'm very interested."
"Yes."
Elsa began to speak in halting tones at Saki's request. Saki got up and took a listening posture.
She had told her story in the bathroom about the day she and Reinhardt had left together, and how Reinhardt's Black Knight (Schwartzritter) had defeated the Adamas Warrior (Adamas Warrior) in the Kingdom of Celuloa.
"Well, you know. After that, we went to the Kingdom of Elias ......"
He told me that he had participated in a golem boat competition in the Kingdom of Elias. That's when I met Jin.
That I started traveling with Jin. Flathead Village. The village of Mohut. The Hambarf Pass.
Being attacked by bandits and golems.
Making friends with Beena in the Kingdom of Egelea.
The golem party and all the commotion.
Running away because I didn't want to be engaged to the Marquis. .......
The time passed unknowingly and it was midnight when the two continued their conversation, thanks to the automatic emission of ethereal luminescent substance (AL).
"Well, I know how you feel. The Marquis and Elsa are not a match for each other. That's for sure, that colorless b*tc*."
Talking about the escape, Saki resented her grandfather's desire. Saki's argument was that it had put Erza in danger.
"Yes,...... but maybe that's what my father wanted."
"Yeah, there's a part of that. But if the old man hadn't been the first to see Erza, I'm sure that story would never have come up.
Saki then urged her to continue. Erza started talking again.
How Jin had saved her. How she was taken in as Jin's sister.
That she had moved to the village of Kaina. In case you are wondering, she did not mention that Jin came from another world, nor did she mention Horai Island or Kunlun Island.
He went to Alban, the capital of the Kingdom of Klein.
He made acquaintance with Princess Rieschen.
And now that he is being taught magecraft.
"Well, Elsa, you've had a good experience. I envy you.
Saki smiles.
"So you're growing as a person, too."
Erza's cheeks reddened in embarrassment at Saki's words.
"I'm still a work in progress. Even in magecraft, I'm still not as good as my brother Jin.
"No, it's a big deal that your target is Jin. I've only known him for less than a month, but I know that he's a very exceptional person. He is definitely the best in the world.
"Yes, I know that."
"You know that. You know that and you still aim at him. Elsa, you deserve to be Jin's sister.
"Thank you?"
After midnight, their conversation had not yet ended.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
...... sleepy
"I've been up a little too late."
6:00 a.m. The day before, they had asked Aal and Edgar to wake them up at this time, so they somehow managed to get up while rubbing their sleepy eyes.
The reason for this was that they were going to take a morning bath at the hot spring .......
We grabbed our bath towels and a change of clothes and headed out.
The early summer morning had already dawned, and the morning light was illuminating Nido Castle.
"But it's an unusual castle, isn't it?
"It's not the rooftop ......, the view from the top floor is exceptional.
"Well, that's nice. I'll ask Jin about it later.
With such conversation, we went to the center of Kaina village.
"This is the hot spring."
The two quickly enter the women's bath. Aal and Edgar are waiting outside.
We undressed in the changing rooms and went inside.
On this particular day, there were no guests ahead of us, so we had the place to ourselves. They feel free to stretch out their arms and legs and soak in the hot water.
It feels good.
"Well, this is a hot spring. The water certainly feels different. It's like there's something in the water.
Like an alchemist, Saki analyzes the hot spring water.
Erza is taking it easy. She seems to be completely awake.
Saki looked at Erza stretching out next to her.
Her hair has grown a little longer. Meane has been cutting it, but it seems to be longer than before.