'Oh dear, ...... okey ............'

Millie looks up at the carriage parked in front of the sunlit pavilion, her mouth hanging open.
It's a beautiful circle that makes you want to throw popcorn into it.

While we were finishing our donation to the church and having a meeting about today's business, the carriage arrived.
Lucia had sent us a luxurious six-seater carriage, pulled by two magnificent horses.
The body of the carriage was decorated with gold to the extent that it was not obnoxious, giving it an air of elegance and dignity.
I wish my lord would ride in a carriage like this.

'It's great to be rich!
'Is that an insult to me?

Estella, the poor lord of District 42, is twitching her temples.
She must be jealous.
After all, Estella only has a horse with a name like 'Petty Tits' or something like that.
That would make me jealous.

'...... Magda prefers the carriage at Estella's house.
'Magda!What a lovely thing you say!

Estella was so touched that she hugged Magda and rubbed her cheek.
Magda gently pulls away in disgust.
Their relationship will always be the same. It's this subtle gulf. ......

'...... Estella's carriage is a four-seater, so when Yashiro, the manager, Estella, and Loretta get in, Magda inevitably ends up on Yashiro's lap.
'My thighs are going to scream if I'm in there for too long.
'Then let's take turns carrying me.
'No, that's not what I meant. ......'

Are you sure you want to be on my lap? ......

'......' Millie will be riding on the manager's lap.
'What?I'm not sure what to do.
'...... Together, Magda is happy, but?
'Oh, Miri's happy too!So don't make me flop my ears like that!I'm happy!
'If it's ......, Millie can be on the manager's lap or on her tits.
You can't do that on your tits!...... What do you want me to say?
'...... Yashiro, repent.'
'You!
'...... No, it's the usual flow.'

Don't make such a flow.
...... Well, I can't deny that I'm always the one being made to repent, but...

I'll sit on my brother's lap then!
'Then I don't understand what you mean, Loretta.

I don't care if it's Magda or Milly, having you on my lap will surely make your legs numb and you won't be able to walk by the time you reach your destination. You'll be shuffling your feet more than a newborn fawn.

'In fairness to ....... Magda, Milly, and Loretta, in turn, circled on Yashiro and the manager's lap.'
'What's with that uncomfortable car interior ......'.
'The ...... Miri also sit on the lap?
'You should look at ...... that, Yashiro's expectant eyes.'
'Pii!
'I don't have those eyes!

Millie shrinks back a little.
I don't know,......, but I feel like if I don't shut these guys up, strange rumors will be born one after another.

'Oh, ............ Miry, I'm ............ sorry if I'm heavy, okay?
'Wait, Miry. I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do that.

Why are you deciding the seating order first?
Why don't you wait until you've decided on more things before you do that?

'...... By the way. What's the point of me sitting on your lap if I'm not mentioned at all?
'...... Cushioning, the better.'
'Yes, cushions!It's quite pliable!
'...... One more time in front of the manager.'
'Not this far, but still!
'M, please don't point at my chest, Estella!
'...... hard seats are hard to ......'.
'What a cute thing to say, Magda!

In a matter of minutes, we've become polar opposites.

'Good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning.

Wendy came in with a strange greeting.
She seemed to be taken aback by the sight of the carriage.

'Oh, is that ...... this carriage ......?
'Yes. It's quite magnificent, isn't it?
'It's quite ............ the most amazing thing I've ever seen. ......'

It's even more magnificent than Javier's.
But you can't say you've never seen one before. After all, we're about to board this thing.
...... Don't take off your shoes or anything. You can wear shoes.



'Um, ...... am I really allowed to ride in this carriage?'

said Wendy, wearing a large-brimmed hat and looking reserved.
Rather than being reserved, she is half frightened.
'To be in the same carriage as the Lord of District 42 in the carriage of the Lord of District 35,......, and even the heroes are here,......, I'm afraid.

Hey, hey, hey. Don't include me in that interesting group.
The lord is Estella, after all.
Lucia's carriage, but that doesn't mean she's here.
If you stay so tense, you'll be exhausted before you reach the 35th district.
Wendy is frozen in place. It's almost suffocating to watch you.
Let's see if we can get you to relax.

'Wendy.
'Yes, yes. What can I do for you, hero?
'I'm not a lord. The one who has the most say in all of this is the manager of the Sunlit Pavilion.
'Huh?Why is it me?
'Oh, that's true. I can't go against Jeannette, either.
'No, please don't, even Estella-san!

Estella is willing to take advantage of this, and Jeannette is upset by her comment.
In addition, those of us who can read the atmosphere follow suit.

'...... The manager's seriousness surpasses even the guild leader of the hunting guild.
'He is very scary when he is angry. Even our naughty kids won't defy the manager.
'No, that's not true ......!That's enough!Everyone, please stop!

The troubled face that Jeannette showed stimulated everyone's "S-ness" and aroused the urge to bully her. I want to tease her!
Ginette's face turns bright red as everyone teases her.

'd*mn it!It's your fault, Yashiro-san!

Ginette glares at me, her cheeks puffed out.
It's only recently that she's started to say things like this.
He's changed a lot since the gluttony contest.
Well, it's partly because I've made him anxious about a lot of things,............, but I see this change in Ginette as a good trend.
What's more,......, it's a bit cute.

'Before you get mad, ...... take a look at it.'
'......What?'

I use my finger to guide the gaze of Jeannette, who raises her eyebrows adorably.
At the point where I pointed, Wendy was smiling, covering her mouth.

'I'm sorry, manager,............, but I couldn't ...... resist. ............ ugh.'

The smile that escaped her couldn't hold back turned Wendy's ears red and softened the air around her.

'Oh, no. If ...... you've relieved Wendy's tension, that's fine.

Rather than being laughed at, she could be glad that it had lightened Wendy's heart. That's the kind of guy Jeannette is.
Ginette smiles warmly at Wendy, who laughs hilariously.
See?That was my plan, right?
I'm sure I'll get one of those rewards later. ...... As I was thinking this, Ginette suddenly turned her head toward me.
I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do it.

I'm sure you'll be able to figure out what to do.

Huh?Why the hell not?
I did a good thing, didn't I?

'Please be prepared for that.

She said this with a gentle smile.
After all, Jeannette has changed a little.
I'm sure she's happy about that.

Well then, it can't be helped.

I'll at least be prepared.
I'm curious to see what punishment Ginette has in store for me.

'Well then, should we get going?
'Yes, we should. Do you mind if we sit in the proper order?
'Yes, sir. I don't mind where I sit.'
'Miri, that's fine too.'

Estella gets in first and lets Wendy and Miry, who are still a little nervous, get into the carriage first.
I'll be the last one to get in and close the door.

'Now, take care of the sunlit pavilion, will you?
'...... I'll take care of it.'
'With the two of us, you're invincible!
'Delia-san and Umaro-san will be coming to help us later.
'...... Mm. I'll use them.
'I'll show you my seniority!
'No, ...... that's not it. ......'



Perhaps it was because they had promised to go out last night, but Magda and Loretta were both full of energy and determined to protect the store. They are full of motivation.
With Magda giving the orders, Delia and Umaro will be able to function properly.
I'm sure you can handle the store.
Jeannette's a little confused.
She'll be fine. Delia doesn't care about details, and Umaro can do whatever he wants. I'm the one who set the absolute rules for the sunlit pavilion.

He pushed a slightly reluctant Ginette into the carriage and turned to Magda and Loretta one last time.

'Both of you, I'm counting on you.
'...... asked me to.'
'I'll leave it to you with a bang!

I put a hand on each of their heads as they stood side by side.
Magda's eyes narrowed in satisfaction as she stroked them simultaneously, while Loretta's eyes were black and white, as if she wasn't used to it.

'Well, I'm off.
'Oh, sir!

Loretta shouted as she turned around to get on the carriage.
When I looked at her without changing my posture, I saw that Loretta was somewhat fidgeting.
I stopped her, but she seemed to be hesitant about something.

'............, as much as possible, that ......'.



'......I'll be happy ...... if you come back as soon as possible.'

This is a rare, understated and honest appeal for Loretta.
It's a destructive force that might make Jeannette cancel her trip to the 35th district if she sees it.

She turns to Loretta and the others once more and pats them on the head with a firmer hand than before.

'I'll take care of it.
'Yes, sir. ............ Thank you.'
'............ Mwah!'

Seeing their radiant smiles, I climbed into the carriage.

'You're a father now, aren't you?
'Please don't. I'm not ready for that.

A child that big would be too much for me.

Estella gives the signal to the master and the carriage begins to move slowly.
I heard he works for Lucia. I hope you drive safely.

As the carriage began to move, I looked again at the faces of the members heading for the 35th district.

Ginette is a little nervous, but has a calm expression on her face. She seems to have enough time to pay attention to the people around her and is talking to Wendy and Milly who are nervous.
Estella is looking at Ginette with a calm face. She seems to be trying to relieve the tension in the car by occasionally following up and smiling.
Wendy is still nervous about the sudden call. I don't know if it's because of Lucia's call or because of the fear that Lucia might puff her antennae again. ...... Well, I guess it's the former.
And Millie is showing a mixture of nervousness and anticipation. She is excited to go to the garden and nervous about the fact that it is the lord of the 35th district who has invited her, and she seems to have mixed emotions. He looked both happy and tearful.

Estella's seat is by the window facing the direction of travel. Next to her is me.
Wendy in the opposite window. Millie in the middle. Millie in the middle, and Ginette on the far side of the door.

'Estella.

I call out to Estella, who seems to be the calmest of the group.
I lean closer to her and listen to her softly.

'...... Are you okay?'

Estella's mental health is rather weak. She is aware of this weakness, which is why she has not been able to make up her mind to become a lord.
Because of the obvious nervousness of the people around her, she might be forcing herself to act calm. That's what I thought.

When I looked into her face, Estella rolled her eyes and showed a slightly surprised expression.

'You look surprised.

When I said that, Estella lifted the corners of her mouth and smiled a somewhat mean smile.

'When did you become such a gentle man?

I guess that's a roundabout way of saying don't worry .......
Heck. I've always been nice.

'I'm nervous. But I'm not scared.'

He clenches his fist and thumps it against my chest.

'I'm not alone.

The fist is slightly warm where it touches me.
I can tell that he is counting on me.
...... I don't want you to get your hopes up. ............ Well, it's better if you're not worried.

'But'.

She lifted her hips gently, and this time Estella put her lips close to my ear.
And in a whispered voice--

'Thank you.'

--And then she murmured.

...... Ew, my ears are itching.
When I stared at Estella to complain, she smiled at me with a grin and a good-humored smile.
I don't know what makes you so happy.



It looks like there's nothing to worry about for now.

'Um, Yashiro-san.

As I finished my not-so-secret conversation with Estella, Ginette looked at me from her seat across from me. There was a slight hint of anxiety in her expression.

'Are you okay?

'Yeah, yeah.
Will Jeannette notice?

To tell the truth, I'm nervous too.
I thought that worrying about other people would make me a little less nervous, so I asked Estella to talk to her. ...... Maybe Ginette is the most normal person in this group. She is very aware of the people around her.

'To be honest, I have no idea what this call is about. Perhaps they're trying to get us to meet someone who was once called a 'subspecies'. ......'

Otherwise, there's no reason for Lucia to create such an opportunity.
Knowing our purpose - Theron and Wendy's wedding, Lucia called us.
She said, 'There's someone I want you to meet.
That person must be someone who has 'something' to do with the marriage between the Bug People and humans.

Well, I can almost guess what it is: ......
You can imagine that the person is probably a bug man who ...... might have been married to a human.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't anxious ...... about what kind of things I'd have to face from that person.
Lucia said what I'm trying to do is ego.
And yet, this is the person I want you to meet as I try to live up to that ego. Is she trying to stop me, encourage me, ...... or is she going to send me a task that is too heavy for me to carry ......?

This plan started out rather casually, but ...... it seems to have dipped its toe into the troublesome matter of the origins of this all-bloom.
I've followed Assunto's advice, haven't I?

'I'll tell you the truth--'

I'm going to tell the members present how I really feel.

'I don't believe that I can do anything about the discriminatory attitudes and friction between races that nest in this city. In fact, I'm convinced that we never will. There's not much we can do about it.

There's no way that I, a freshman, can manage such deep-seated feelings in a few days or so.
Not even in Japan.
It's too much for me, a stranger to ............ and a stranger to come from elsewhere.

...... No, you see. When I describe myself as a "stranger", many people look at me delicately. ...... Ginette looks like she's about to cry. That's why I restrained myself.

That's why I'm probably no longer a stranger to this city, and despite my best efforts, it's impossible to upset its centuries-old history.

But since you're no longer a stranger to the city,......, it doesn't feel good to just leave it alone.

It's a good idea to keep it at least to the point where it's a little better.

I'm sure the discriminatory mindset will never go away.
It will continue to smolder in the depths of our hearts even as the generations change.
As long as we are human, it is inevitable.
Especially in this city where there are nobles and royalty.

But maybe we can change that sense of discrimination into something trivial.
We may not be able to understand each other as different races, but we may be able to have fun together.
The words, 'You're not getting along with us because you're a member of a certain race! If you want to make it so that you can't say such words as 'I don't want to get along with you because you're a ______', you can go to ......


Don't do stupid things, let's have fun together.


If we can just create that kind of atmosphere, ...... I think we can do it, don't you?

'Still--'

Ginette straightens up, stares straight at me, and says in a clear voice.

'If doing so increases the number of people who think it's fun, even just a little more than it is now,......, then I think that's a wonderful thing.

I'm not sure I'm ready for that.
Although she did not yet have a solid sense of confidence and stability,......, her words sounded as dignified as the sound of her voice coming from Bertina's mouth.

'Let's do it. We'll do what we can. With all our might.

With a pop, a hand was placed on my shoulder.
Estella's hand felt a little warmer. Maybe she's excited, maybe she's overheated.

If there is anything that ...... you ............ can do for ...... Miri, please let me know. If there is anything ...... Miri can do to help, ......'

A very unassuming collaborator is looking at me with a hard look in his eyes.
That's right. I'm sure Millie will be able to help you.

'I'm counting on you.
'Haha, mmm!

Next to Millie's embarrassed smile, Wendy also had a slightly tearful expression on her face.
Happily ...... quietly ...... with a faint smile on her face.

'Get a grip, Wendy.

You seem to be completely involved in ...... this, but you're the ones who started it in the first place.

'If your wedding is a success, this city will be filled with smiles. There's no time to cry.'
'............ Yes.'

I nodded and wiped the corners of my eyes with my thin fingers.
Then, in a firm tone, Wendy says.

'I'll do my best.

I'm sure that Wendy doesn't know what she should do.
But it is important to have that mindset.
What do I have to do? You'll find out soon enough.

The enemy is a nasty one, invisible.
That's why ......

'Heh, ......, what's that?Is there something wrong with my face?


'No.'

We have to remember that we have friends who are there for us, who are willing to work with us.