144-the home of a falconer




'Let's be serious. I'm not feeling well.

 Mr. Ron said in a serious tone while resting his whole body on the sofa. You were hot when I held you earlier, so you probably have a fever.
 Mr. Ron had always been the type of person who didn't get headaches or nausea even when he had a fever, but just felt dull.
 I think that's the reason why he seemed to be fine after all.

'I've always had a weak body, but these days it's been even harder. It's been about a year, so I thought I'd take a break.'

'Mr. Ron, are you sure you don't want to go to the hospital or something?

'I'm going back to my home tomorrow and the next day, so I'll go get checked out while I'm there. Well, at least there was no abnormality when I had a checkup in Europe three days ago.'

 I'm relieved to hear that.
 Even if Ron insists he's fine, there are many people who don't believe him or don't agree with him, so he was probably forced to take the test.
 However, when Lin heard what I just said, she had a completely different reaction from mine.

'What, are you going back to your family? It's unusual for you to visit your family.

 The main family, to be precise, is Rin's father's house.
 It's a villa in Nagano, a short distance from the city center. The Takashou family has its main residence in the land that is ...... the home of Rin's parents and my parents.

'It's only rare. The main family is more visible than the family home.'

'Yes, but ......'.

 If the main house is Rin's parents' house, then the house that Ron just mentioned must be Ron's house.
 As I recall, Ron's parents travel around the world on luxury cruise ships all year round, so they probably don't have anyone to meet when they go home.
 Besides, as the main family, Rin's parents' house has always been a kind of hangout for relatives.
 It would have been more convenient for her to go back to the family home to report her safety.

 Rin made a thoughtful gesture, then turned her head toward me.

'Hey Nana. Do you have any plans tomorrow that you can't miss?

'Not really, I guess.

 I just want to go pick up the rewards for the horseback archery.
 I heard that the players in the demon village all work and can't meet each other on weekdays, so I don't think it's worth rushing out to explore.
 Well, I do want to do some quests to get the Moonlight Pearl, though. .......

'Hmm, okay. Then let's go home too. To the falconer's main house.''

 After hearing about my plans, Rin announced with a very simple expression.


☆


'I wonder why this house is still located in such a remote place.

'Because it's the founder's birthplace.

'Please don't give me a good argument that won't make a sound.



 The next morning. We were in front of Rin's parents' house.
 Rin's parents' house is a completely Western-style mansion, and looks just like the mansions you see on TV or in comic books.
 It's a huge mansion built in such a huge area that you can drive around the grounds.

 However, it does not have an unnecessarily large gate-like entrance.
 The main entrance of the house is very spacious, like the entrance of an inn.

 As the three of us walked in together, we could smell a nostalgic scent.
 Rin's mansion is located in the city center as well as here,

 And there was one person in front of us.
 There was a person standing in front of us.
 A strangely aged beauty dressed in a loose dark red kimono.
 Such an expression is appropriate for a woman.

'Welcome home, Long Li. I heard you weren't feeling well, but you seem to be in good shape now.

 In a very calm voice, the woman said to Mr. Ron.

'Aunt Rei, I'm back. You're right, Japan is the best place for me, I feel good.

 Hearing this, Mr. Ron scratched his head lightly and agreed with the woman's words.
 The woman's name is Rei Takajyo. She was Lin's real mother.

'I don't mean to interfere with your sister's policy, but I don't want you to worry too much.

 Toki admonished Ron without expression, but she wasn't angry.
 It's just that his facial muscles are stiff, but he is a person with a lot of emotion. He was talking about his parents, but in reality, he was worried about himself.
 Because Toki-san was the 'mother' of all the children in the Takashou family.

'Oops. Well, I'm going to rest here for a while and do my duty to my relatives.

'That's probably a good idea. Take your time.

'Thank you. I'll be going ahead. Let's get this examination over with.

 After quickly accepting Toki-san's concern, Ron-san managed to move his still slightly sluggish body and headed towards the other building.
 It seems that the maids are watching over him so that they don't get in the way, so he should be fine.  

'Butane. You seem to be doing well.'

'Yes, I'm enjoying it.'

 Toki-san continued to talk to Rin.
 Rin is more of a father's child, but she has never been at odds with her mother.
 However, Toki-san basically speaks without expression, and Rin-chan doesn't get along well with Toki-san when she's in front of him, so from the side it seems that they don't get along.
 In reality, it's just an exchange between a mother who worries about her precious daughter and a daughter who accepts it without rejecting it, so you can just relax and watch.



'I'm not worried about you. Continue to do as you please. And make sure you compile a list of all the tournaments you plan to enter. I'll be there to cheer you on.'

'Yes, yes. I'll have the staff send it to you later.'

'Please do. A daughter's big day is the most exciting thing for a parent.

 Rin looked a little fed up with Toki-san's hand on her cheek as she said this.
 This is one of the interesting things about Mr. Toki, he is an unassuming person, but in reality, he pours so much love into his three children that it could be called parental foolishness.
 He would always make time to come to class visits, sports festivals, cultural festivals, chorus competitions, and whatever else was going on.
 Especially for Rin's father, who was a very busy man, he probably wanted to make sure that Rin would not feel lonely.

 I'm sure that Rin also likes Toki-san, but I think she still feels half happy and half embarrassed when people still come to support her even though she is over 20 years old.
 What if it were me? I wonder if I would have felt embarrassed if my father and mother had come to cheer me on.


 It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.

'...... Nanaka. Please come this way.'

'Ah, yes.'

 It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for. It was a gentle embrace, as delicate as handling a broken object.
 Toki-san is the one who gave birth to Rin, and she is very tall. He was well over 175 centimeters tall.
 The difference in height inevitably made me feel as if I were being wrapped up in her arms, and I was a little troubled by a sense of security and itchiness.

'Welcome back. I'm glad you came back to .......'

 These words were filled with all my feelings.
 Toki had taken good care of me since I was a child. However, the reason for her trembling emotions must be about ...... my mother.

 My parents and Rin's parents have been best friends since childhood.
 My parents and Rin's parents have been best friends since childhood. I remember hearing that my father and mother in particular were close enough to be best friends.
 So I am sure that the day my parents died.
 Toki-san must have been the one who grieved over my mother's death more than anyone else.

'I've been waiting for ...... you to overcome your past and visit me here. You are the daughter of my one and only best friend. I thought of you as my own daughter, just as I did with Ryu-Ri and Light.

'Toki-san: ......'

'This is the ...... homeland where my wife and I have an unbroken connection with your parents. We mourned them here ourselves. You should go visit their graves later. You will have much to talk about.



 A visit to the grave.
 That's right, since that day, I've never once gone to mourn my parents.
 I unconsciously avoided it. I was afraid it would break me.
 But now I'm sure I'll be okay.
 I had such confidence in my heart.

'Thank you .......'

'Hmm, you look the same, but mentally you've grown a lot, haven't you? This may be the first time I've seen you use honorifics. I guess it's only natural, since more than six years have passed.

 Toki-san patted my head in a nostalgic manner.
 Six years. That's a very long time, considering it's about a third of my life so far.

'Well, we'd better get going. I want to hear what Nanaka has to say, and I'm waiting for the light.

'Oh, you're already here?

'Light has been staying at the main house for the past few days. Butane, it seemed like you were instructing him to do something.

'Ah, so she's been working here. Well, it's certainly easier than setting up the facilities from scratch.

 I followed Rin-chan and Toki-san as they walked together, looking at them vaguely from behind.
 I think it's because I've come back to a place I've missed and met Toki-san.
 ...... I felt an irresistible urge to see my father and mother.