Three days after the party.
It was still raining.

'There were no visitors at all today, either.

Loretta muttered as she looked out the window.
The world looked a little white with the mixture of raindrops falling and splashing back against the ground.
Even though it is already night, the phosphorescent bricks, which have not been exposed to sunlight during the day, do not emit light and have lost their dark presence.

This is the first time in a long time that I have been in total darkness.
It's like a blackout.

'...... Yashiro, would you like to hold my hand?
'No, I'm not going to be scared by this.

In the flickering lantern light, Magda reaches out her hand to me, but I politely decline.
Ginette is chuckling over there.
Shut up. Stop laughing.

'Shall we close up for the day?
'Yes, we should. Umaro's already gone.

Only Umaro would come to the restaurant on a day like this, and he too had just left after a hearty meal.

'Oh, by the way, Mr. Umaro. I heard you cleared out the stall.
'It was gone yesterday.
'...... They decided it was too dangerous to leave it there because the rain would reduce visibility.

It must have taken a lot of effort to remove so many stalls in this downpour.

'Well, next time I come back, I'll add one more cherry tomato.
'Mr. Umaro's efforts are not appreciated!
'...... Don't worry. Magda will serve you.'
'Then I'm sure you'll be pleased.

With such idle talk, the business of the day ended at the Sundaari-tei.
It had been a very peaceful day.

The lack of customers is a serious problem in itself, but ...... I've been moving around a lot lately, so I'm grateful for this kind of time.
I really must be tired, I guess.
Today, I've been sitting almost all day.

'Yes, Mr. Yashiro. Corn potage soup.'
'Hmm?
'It'll warm you up. It's been cold today.'
'Oh. Thanks.'

I wasn't moving, so maybe he was just being considerate.

'How about you guys?
'I'd love to!
'...... I'd like some more Magda.'

I sat down in my usual seat and drank the hot soup.
I feel as if my core is warming up and my fatigue is disappearing.

While I wait for Ginette to go into the kitchen, Magda sits next to me and Loretta sits across from me.
There's no need for all of us to sit at this end of the table.

'Thank you for waiting.

Ginette brought soup for the three of us and sat down next to Loretta.
We sit tightly together in the spacious sunlit pavilion. Our poverty is so ingrained in us.

And then...

'Aaah!

I heard a scream from the other side of the door.
At the same time, there's a dull thud and the sound of water splashing.

'What? Is that an annual event?

A dry laugh escaped from my mouth as I imagined the devastation of the owner of the scream.
Ginette also seems to have come to her senses, leaving her seat in a panic and running for the door.

'Loretta, go get her a towel. Magda, go to my room. ......'

Instructing the two remaining men, I say the usual words to the soaking wet man who comes through the door.

''It's no fun for you to look at my poor body, is it?
It's been a year since I've heard that line. ...... Memories are sometimes so vivid that they are abhorrent.

Estella walked in, her expensive clothes soaking wet, her face twitching.
She had walked carefully in this torrential downpour, and when she saw the sunlit pavilion, she must have let her guard down and slipped near the entrance. Her feet, buttocks, and back were soaked.

'There's going to be a puddle shaped like Estella's ass at the entrance.
'I don't have a butt to sink into, ...... at all.'

Ginette folds up the umbrella Estella must have brought with her and puts it up next to the door.
I see. There's no umbrella stand. I'll have to make one.

'I shouldn't have been so careless with the umbrella, I should have put on a cloak.
'There's a saying, "Regrets don't come first, a poor shirt never swells."'
'The second half is a lie, isn't it?

Estella straightens her arm and points at me.
It's been a while since I've had that kind of hostility directed at me.

'Yes, Estella-san. Use this.


'Oh, thank you Loretta. I really wish Yashiro would be as considerate as this. You should learn from the older shopkeepers.

I take the towel and Estella frowns at me.
I'm currently the last clerk to be hired at the Sunlit Pavilion. I quit once, for a minute or so.

'Oh, no. This is my brother's ......'.
'Oh, Loretta. No, no, no.'

It's not like I'm doing you any favors.
It's okay, it's better if he thinks I'm witless.

'...... Estella. I've brought you a change of clothes.'
'Oh, thank you too Magda. You're very thoughtful. Do you want me to pat her on the head?'
'...... You have to be qualified to pet Magda.'

She still wants to pet Magda's ears.
She refuses every time, though.

And so, Estella's expression hardened as she unfolded the 'I specified' t-shirt that the witty Magda had brought with her.

'............ Another nostalgic one.'

On the chest of the T-shirt Estella unfolded, it read, 'Cheap!Delicious!It's cute! on her chest.

'I'm going to follow Magda's example and become a thoughtful shopkeeper.
'Will you stop it?I know very well that it was you who sent me.'

After letting out a heavy sigh, Estella wiped her wet body with a towel and headed to the back of the kitchen to change.
You could have changed here.

'Estella~. If my pants are wet, I can just wear the 'Buka-T'...'
'I borrowed it from Jeannette, so I'm fine!

It's not polite of him to reply before I've finished my sentence. ......

'Oh, my God. I want to rub my parents' faces.
'Why are you rubbing them?I'm not sure what to say.

Loretta, the rightful owner of normalcy, is pushing for normalcy more than necessary.
She's probably planning a plan to make all of humanity normal. She's a girl with terrifying ambitions.

'...... Loretta is the only one in this group who can immediately see her parents' faces.

Magda's parents went to Bao Kri Air to guard the dignitaries and have disappeared.
Ginette's parents are unknown. Grandfather is no longer with us.
Estella's parents are in a quiet town recovering from an illness.
And my parents are at ......

'That's true. Then let's go see Loretta's parents.'
'No, please!They're not the kind of parents I can show her!

What kind of parents would say this to their daughter? ......
I remember that Wendy didn't want to see her parents either.
I wonder if the girls in this town tend to want to keep their parents at a distance.

'...... Ahh. It's a little depressing because it looks so familiar.

Estella returns, dressed to the nines.
For pants, she's wearing Ginette's loungewear. I've seen this guy around. Although Estella is a little taller, she's not as short as she says she is.
I'm not sure if it's a good idea, but it's a good idea. I like the ...... saggy clothes.


I'm sorry!

I'm not sure what I misunderstood, but Estella is hiding her breasts and glaring at me.
I guess this kind of thing is called 'self-consciousness' or 'paranoia'.

'I'm not talking about your breasts.

When I said that in disgust, she pointed her finger at me from three directions. In a "judgment of the spirits" stance.
Estella, Magda and Loretta.

'Estella-san. Corn potage soup. It'll warm you up.'
'I love you, Jeannette!

Estella jumps on Jeannette with both arms outstretched.
Don't jump on her when she's holding the soup.
How did you not spill it, Ginette?

'...... "Oh, I'm jealous, jealous, jealous of the bulge I don't have, but it feels good."'
'Cause I don't think so!Don't give me that monologue, Magda!
'Yes, you are, Magda. That's what Estella thinks. ...... 'Hmmm, actually, I can absorb a percentage of your boobs by hugging you like this!


'You can't do it!
'...... Estella...... no way, you've reached that point......'
'That's why you can't do it!
'Estella, you're amazing!I have a little respect for you!
'You said you can't do it!You just said you can't!
'Gentlemen, you can't say that. Don't say that.

What the hell, get on board, Jeannette!
I'm not smiling!
If you get on board and say, 'Estella-san doesn't look good with big tits,' you could have given her a serious injury that she would never recover from!

'...... For the manager, if you just get a tenth, you'll get big tits immediately.
'That's not true.
'In addition, even if you take 10%, you still have big tits!
'No, that's not true. ......!
'In addition, if it's Jeannette, even if she's reduced, she'll be back to full strength the next day!
'Please repent!

I'll be the only one ...... sulking again.

'Pfft, that's it.
'Haaaa...... Yashiro is ...... Yashiro is cute......!
'No, it's an illusion. Ginette-chan.'

Estella begins to drink the corn potage soup with cold eyes.
You've been making a lot of noise, and now you're suddenly getting cold feet.

And just like this, the 'usual' daily life has returned.
I guess I like this kind of atmosphere, because I felt like I was back.

As the number of people increased, we put two desks together to make a table for eight people.
Then we settled down again in our respective places.
I sat at my usual seat, with Magda on my left and Loretta on my right.
Estella sits directly in front of me, and Ginette sits to Estella's right, in front of Magda.

'And in the seat in front of Loretta, there's a woman I've never seen before with blood pouring from her head ......'.
'She's not here!What, she's not here, is she?
'............ Oh, hi.'
'Who did you just say hello to, Magda?Don't bow so small while looking across at me!
'Sorry, Jeannette. Can you move over a little bit?
'Don't try to close the distance, Estella!There's no one here!There's no one here!

But Loretta clung to my arm to keep me from escaping.
d*mn, she's a beastman too, isn't she? I can't untie him.

'The beastmen (sober) ......'
'Stop it, you're giving me a negative image!Big brother's image strategy is surprisingly effective!

That's because everyone sees you that way.
And I'm not the only one who has a selfish image of others.
Magda is no slouch either.

For example--

'Chitiprune, the Hexenbiest.
'Forget it, please!

This is the nickname Magda gave Millie and Delia when they got into a fight due to the lack of rain, and Jeannette witnessed it while she was absent-mindedly working.
So to speak, it's a memorial to the day that started this whole mess.

'But thanks to Magda's naming of the hexenbiest Chitiprune, the incident regarding the water shortage was solved, wasn't it?
'What?Was it Magda's achievement?
'...... A woman who exerts her influence in an invisible way. That's Magda.
'Don't let them get to you, Yashiro.

Under the table, Estella's foot pokes me lightly in the shin.
She's scolding me again.
Why is it me and not Magda who's getting carried away?

'Pfft,' she says.
'You're not cute.
'But, but, Estella. Depending on the angle, you can't help but feel ...... or cute ......!
'Ginette, calm down!It's an illusion or hallucination!



'Pfft!
'Pssst!
'Ginette-chan!
'...... The manager looks a little tired.'
'You might want to go to bed early today!

'You guys would say that too, wouldn't you, Magda and Loretta?
I know you'll say it.
How much?

'Sorry, sorry. You know what? ......'





'When I think of how Yashiro was like when he was a child,......, I find him irresistibly cute.
'When Yashiro was a child?
'Is there?
I'm not sure what to say.
'...... bonus time for all-you-can-look-in-a-woman's-bath'
'Yeah, ...... I wasn't thinking about that at the time, not yet.

It was during puberty, in middle school, that I woke up to boobs.
............ I'm sorry, I lied. It was the summer of my fifth grade, when I found a large number of adult picture books by the side of the road along the bypass.
It's a beautiful memory.

'How old were you when you started to rot?
'Don't say rotten!I'm ripe.
'I guess you could say that.

It must be nice to be an adult now.
Estella must have been thinking about her boobs from her adolescence to now. You're the one who spends most of your day doing breast implants!
Well, it's just... I'm probably more experienced than you.

'By the time I was eleven, all I could think about was my tits.
'Have you been ...... since before I became a child of the Sunken Pavilion?'
'...... hardcore.'
'If it's a grease stain, it's stuck so hard you'll never get it off.

What are you comparing me to?
What's stuck to who and where?

'Didn't your parents say anything to you about your strange behavior?
'I'm not acting strangely.
'...... Yashiro seems to have no symptoms.
'It's the end of the line.
'............'
'............'
'............'
'............ Hey, Ginette. Where's the follow?'
'Heh!Oh, no ...... ugh.'

d*mn, no follow!
It's kind of hard to say, isn't it, d*mn it?

'Well, the landlady pretended to ignore it.

The room was cleaned without my knowledge, and I'm sure the hidden treasure was found, but not a word was mentioned.
I'm sure you'll be able to find the treasure you were hiding.

...... It's a shame for those of us who have found ourselves pretending not to notice. ............

'The landlady ...... had a natural tendency to strangle people. ......'

In fact, it would have been somewhat better if you had told me in no uncertain terms.
I'd rather you'd have said it outright.

'...... I'm sorry. It brought back memories of the past and made me cry. ......'
'What a far cry from nostalgia. ...... There's nothing to move me at all.'

Estella stares at my beautiful tears with a dumbfounded look in her eyes. Oh, no, I'm not even staring. Just a glimpse. She's not interested at all.
It's a beautiful sight if you only look at the circumstances. Tears shed for the deceased.

'From what you've told me, it seems you've been spoiled for life.
'Hmm~...... I wonder...'

I was scolded when I did wrong, and rules and common sense were thoroughly instilled in me. In particular, I was always told to be considerate of others, day in and day out.

'But he praised me a lot, didn't he?

Even though he was strict, I felt his love.
And we were a cheerful family that laughed a lot.

'...... That's why Yashiro likes the landlady.
'Hmm?'
'Come to think of it, she comes up in conversation about something.'
'Is that so?

I'm not aware of that, but...'

'When you talk about the landlady, Mr. Yashiro, you always look so happy.
'No, that's not true, is it?
'No, no. Like this, smiling, gently.

Then I give him a gentle smile.
Do I have that look on my face?

'That's the thing. I guess it's because when I talk about the landlady, it's usually about food. People naturally smile when they think about good food.

That's what it means.
There's nothing more to it than that.

'But you mentioned the landlady when Mr. Filman asked you what type of woman you liked.
'So, that's ......'.

It's the most corner-cutting thing to say, right?


I'm not sure what to do. It is easy to imagine what kind of disaster ...... would have been caused if I had acted in such a short-sighted way as to say, 'I'll just explain it later and clear up the misunderstanding.

'I think it's a wonderful thing. I think it's a wonderful thing to be able to cherish your own family for a long time.
'Well, it's better than being an unfilial person.
'That means that your brother will always be sweet to his people!
'...... Magda is ready and confident to be spoiled forever and ever.'
'You can't just say whatever you want .......'

Even you say so. ............ No, let's not do that. This argument is barren.
Family is special. That's fine. It's nothing to deny.

'ugh ......I'm glad to hear about your past, Yashiro-san.'
'Come to think of it, that's unusual.
'I want to hear more about your past, big brother.'
'...... digging deeper and deeper'
'No way. Talking about your past is like exposing your weaknesses.

In most cases, a person's past is full of black history.
There are not many people who are willing to talk about the time when they were immature.

'Thanks for the food. You've warmed me up.

Estella gulps down the corn potage soup and lets out a warm 'hoo hoo' breath.

'My stomach, that doesn't fill you up, does it?Shall I go make you something?'
'Yes, ......'.

The fact that she came at this hour means that Estella was so busy that she didn't even have time to eat.
A bowl of corn potage soup would not be enough for her in such a situation.

'But we're closed, aren't we?
'That's fine. Don't worry about it.'

Ginette would be happy to make you dinner no matter what time it was.
That said, there are times when I feel self-conscious.

'Well, let's do that again. I'm sure we have all the ingredients.
'That'?

Ginette tilted her head, unsure of what he was talking about.

'It's the food of the bond.
'Ah!That sounds great!I'll help!

Loretta, who was the first to come up with an answer, stood up cheerfully.
Come to think of it, we've eaten together before, right here at this table.

'I couldn't eat much last time because I had already eaten the bribe. My brothers also left before I could finish. I was taking care of my younger brothers at the riverbank.
'...... riverbank............ Hmm. That makes sense.

When Magda heard Loretta's story, she remembered.
Well, we went out on the way, didn't we?
After that, we ate again in a large group at the riverbank, right?

'What are you making?
'I'm curious, too.

The two of them, who still haven't found an answer, are getting impatient.
We've made so many things in the last few weeks.
The memory of the first part may be fading.

'It's hand-rolled sushi.
''Ahh!''

Upon hearing the answer, Ginette and Estella's faces lit up.
It's a dish that uses a lot of ingredients from each guild, including sea fishing, river fishing, farming, peddling, and hunting, and it's a dish that Loretta describes with the word 'bond'.

'Please help me prepare it.
'Yes, sir!
'...... Magda will help too.'
'I want to help, too!
'Okay, Estella. Sit down and wait for me.'
'No, I'll help!I'd rather not be left here alone.
'No, no, I can't have my lord doing that kind of work.'
'I'd like to hear you say something like that somewhere else!

In the end, we all went into the kitchen and chopped and roasted what we could find to make the ingredients.
It's so much faster with Jeannette. He's so much quicker than me.
I had high hopes for Estella's skill with knives, but she specialized in "stabbing" and was not good at "cutting". Well, she was a knife wielder. I'm sure Natalia can do everything from stabbing, cutting, piercing, and scraping.

'...... Estella is not a good cook.
'No, she's not!It just took a little time this time.
'That's right, Magda-chan. It's just that the manager and the brother are out of their element, and if Estella can do it, she's at a normal level.


'Ugh ...... Loretta calling me normal is a huge shock.'
'Why?I followed you, didn't I?

Estella is depressed by Loretta's 'normal' comment, which puts more stress on her mind than anything else she's heard.
Ginette is patting her curled back and giving her words of encouragement.
It would be interesting to hear her say something like, 'If you keep rounding your back like that, you'll end up with breasts that aren't even there. I wonder if she would say .............

'If you arch your back so much, you'll bury your not-so-perfect ......'.
'I'm good at stabbing, aren't I?

Estella can't even handle a fish, but I guess it's easy to reap my life.
Should I be careful what I say when he's holding a knife? ............ Isn't there any time when Estella doesn't have a knife in her hand?

'Well, let's make some sushi rice.
'Haaaa ...... I love that smell!

I thought he said he didn't like the smell of vinegar at first.

As I headed back to the hall with the sushi rice, Loretta and Magda were happily bringing in the ingredients.
I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do this, but I'm sure I'll be able to.

The preparations were ready and we had our first hand-rolled sushi party in a long time.

'No, the seaweed hasn't arrived!
'...... The seaweed is too small.'
'Yashiroo, the nori is too small.'
'Don't you people have the ability to learn?

The three of them put too many ingredients on top of the seaweed, and Jeannette quickly put them on top of the seaweed.

'That's strange. ...... I thought I could roll this much. ......'
'You too, Jeannette.

I can't help but get excited about hand-rolled sushi.

'It's so difficult. ...... Hey, Yashiro. Roll one for me.
'Are you a nobleman?
'I'm an aristocrat.
'...... Hi, I'm a friend of the nobility. Would you like a roll?
'Also, I'm related to a nobleman!Big brother, roll me up.'
'Don't get on my case. We're all like that.

They're all trying to make me do it.
You'll have to learn it yourself.
Then I looked at Jeannette, who hadn't joined the conversation, and she was frantically rolling up a sushi roll.
Still, it's a lot.
I'm surprised he's struggling.

'It's difficult. I can't get the hang of it. ......'
'Well, try it out, Jeannette, and make it as if you were feeding it to me.'
'For Mr. Yashiro, sir?

The color of Ginette's eyes changed a little when I gave her that order.
Place the nori in the palm of your hand, take a small amount of sushi rice, spread it out evenly, add the ingredients in a balanced manner, and roll it up .......

'...... Wow!It's done!

It was an excellent hand-rolled sushi, perfect in appearance and content, and could have been served in a restaurant if it had been wrapped.

'You can do it if you think you're going to feed people.
'Yes, it looks like it.

Ginette smiled shyly.
This guy doesn't cook for himself that often.
It's a new discovery that he's not good at cooking for himself.

'Yes, Mr. Yashiro. Please enjoy your meal.

A hand roll of sushi is gently offered.
...... Somehow, it makes me embarrassed to think that Jeannette rolled it in front of me.
No, you see, I'm bare handed.
Well, I'm always bare handed.

'Please eat your vegetables, too. And chew your food well.'
'You're my mother, aren't you?
'Mm-hmm. If she's so cute, you might get in trouble for spoiling her too much.'
'If I had a mother like this, I might not be weaned until I'm over twenty.
'No, please repent after you eat it!

It's okay after you eat it.
No, it's more of a hassle for you to put it off. ......

'Oh, it's done, it's done!I got the hang of it by watching Jeannette's.'

Estella has finally made the right amount of hand rolls.
She makes a crispy sound and bites into the sushi roll.
'Mmm~! She shakes her fist in the air with a satisfied voice.

'It tastes even better when you think you made it yourself, doesn't it?
'No, the one Ginette made for me is even better.
'...... Magda also always wants to be pampered.'
'I find that when I make it myself, it tastes kind of normal. ......'
'I didn't think you'd agree with me so far!

That's sweet, Estella.


We're not so naive as to honestly feel what everyone seems to be saying.

'Why don't you add this to the menu?
'The price will be too high. It's mainly sea fish.'
'There are many kinds. It's not easy to get all of them.
'...... If it becomes popular, we may not be able to keep up with the preparations.
'Then, this is food for a house party.'

A house party.
Ginette's right, it's for eating at home.
It would be fun if everyone got together from the preparation stage.

And it's good that each person can choose his or her own flavor.
And it is good that each person can choose his or her own taste. It is natural to have such a casual conversation as 'You always eat salmon,' or 'Don't eat all the shrimps.

It was the same at my parents' house.

'My master was so enthusiastic that he would only do it when we made hand-rolled sushi. He said that he could make a better hand-rolled sushi than the landlady. ......

He was very particular about mixing sesame seeds with the sushi rice and coating the seaweed with sesame oil.

'So, what did you actually do?
'Hmm?
'Did the master's hand-rolled sushi surpass the landlady's?
'No. Oyakata's is huge. The hand-rolled sushi rolled by the proprietress was easier to eat, and the taste was far more delicious.

...... kuku kuku.

'......The proprietress is the strongest.
'It's great. She understands every one of my brother's preferences and is always the number one choice.
'You were the landlady's child, weren't you, Yashiro?
'No, no, no. I inherited most of my knowledge and skills from my master.

I'm self-taught when it comes to fraud, though.

'Speaking of my brother's skills, ......'
'...... titty appraisal.'
'Yashiro ......, your master must have been a hell of a man.'
'I didn't inherit that part!I'm self-taught, my boobology is!

I'm sure that's all you need to know, for the sake of your honor.
............ What do you mean, for the sake of honor?


I'm sure you'll agree.

Jeannette starts to giggle.

'Temakizushi is a food that brings back many memories.

She says, holding a well-made, delicious-looking hand roll in both hands.

'I wonder if someday, when you are having Temakizushi with another person, you will remember today and talk about how it was like that time.

This member is going to make Temakizushi with another person ......
It's a future that may come someday.

Magda and Loretta might be leaving the sunny side up.
Estella might be discovered by some nobleman and join the upper class.
Even Ginette, if she can find a good guy somewhere, ......
I'm sure he'll be lenient with his own children and wind them up himself every time.

......That's all in the not-so-distant future.

I'm sure it's not possible for things to stay the same forever.
I can't imagine the future at all, though.
I can't imagine Jeannette or Estella marrying anyone, and I can't imagine the sunlit pavilion without Magda and Loretta.
In the first place, I can't see my own future at all.

Am I going to stay here forever?
Or will I find something more interesting and run away from here?
Or maybe I'll get headhunted and become a rival of the sunlit pavilion. ......

All of these are futures that we can't say won't happen.

In the first place, twenty years ago, I never imagined that twenty years later I would be spending my second seventeen years in another world. How could I?
I don't know the future.
I wonder if that's why we get excited talking about the past we know so well.

'I want to have a hand-rolled sushi with this group again and chat like this again!
'...... All of these members spoil Magda, which is very comforting.

She didn't want to think that they would be separated in the future.
Both Loretta and Magda said this in a slightly serious voice.

And Ginette, of course, didn't seem to imagine such a future--

'Yes. Of course, let's do it again together.

She assured me confidently.
So, I'll follow up a bit.

'The last time we had hand-rolled sushi at the riverbank, everyone was happy.
'That's right!My brothers and sisters were so excited!
'...... Magda has been called the goddess of hand-rolled sushi in some areas since then.
'What kind of goddess is that? ....... So, it was fun, right?

'Eating with another person' includes such things.


You can eat with whomever you want, and you can eat with whomever you want.

That's what Jeannette said.
'It's going to be fun to teach all these people!
'...... With Magda's charisma, the wave of proselytizing will cover the forty-two districts in the blink of an eye.'
'I see. So, each one of us brings the impressions of the people we've taught, or interesting stories from that time, and we eat together like this again. ...... Yeah. I like that.

Magda and Loretta both looked satisfied with Estella's summary.
It may seem a little too dependent on them, but ......

'The sunny pavilion is always here, waiting for your return.

So, everyone should be free to go out as they please.
Maybe that's what Ginette was trying to say. ...... Maybe not, though.

I love hand-rolled sushi.

It seems as if nothing has changed for Jeannette since she said those words, but ...... I guess she has changed a little.
Maybe he is slowly becoming an adult.

As well as Estella, who is gaining power and confidence as a lord by competing with the lords of other districts.

It was a very troublesome time for me. ......
Well, maybe it was worth the effort.

A new passageway has been built in New Town, and a small port has been built beyond the city gates.
The toll tax on passing through BU has been reduced and preparations are underway to produce beans in the outer districts.
The fruits of Estella's tireless work will bear fruit in the near future.

The city will change.
The people will change.
Our relationships change, and the circumstances surrounding us change every second.
We have no choice but to make it better or worse, and that's why we desperately try to make it better.
The accumulation of such efforts can leave us with achievements that surprise us when we look back on them someday.

That's why.
It's because of these changes that I feel so at home in the sunlit pavilion that stands unchanged here .......

'It's a nice place ......, isn't it, Sunlit Pavilion?

Everyone except me looked at each other at the words that escaped my lips.
Then they nodded their heads with radiant expressions, as if they had no objection.

'Of course. It's my go-to place.
'...... Magda's here, so it's only natural.
'I love the Sunlit Pavilion too!

And Ginette, with a slightly tearful look on her face.


'I'm glad you said that.


A shy smile appeared on her face.


The remaining sushi rice and ingredients were eaten by all, and the hand-rolled sushi party came to an end late at night.

When Ginette asked Estella to stay the night, Estella went back to the hotel, saying she had work to do in the morning.
It seems that she really wanted to use the little time she had left to eat at the restaurant.
As she was leaving, she said with a smile on her face, "I was really refreshed," and went home in the still pouring rain, umbrella in hand. He left with an umbrella in his hand in the still pouring rain. ...... He was still wearing the T-shirt advertising the Sunlit Pavilion.
I wonder when he'll realize what he's wearing.

I don't know if Estella is smart or not.
Well, I guess she's a smart ass.

As for Loretta, she said she had a sister who was frightened by the heavy rain and left to sleep with her at night.
She's being a good big sister, isn't she?

And Magda...

'...... Magda will help with the cleanup. ......'

--I took her to her room and put her to sleep.
I'm sure you'll agree that a full stomach makes you want to sleep. ...... though it is not this extreme.

It was almost midnight.
It was almost midnight, and Jeannette was starting to feel sleepy.
Let's go back to the kitchen, help clean up, finish quickly, and go to bed.

'Thank you for your hard work. You're all wet. Here's a towel.

When I returned to the kitchen, Ginette immediately offered me a towel.
I'm starting to wish we had a roof over our heads.
At least so we can come and go without getting wet. I'll think of something before the heavy snow season.
I'll have to use an umbrella every time I go upstairs. This is the kind of thing the masters would want to do a drastic makeover on.

'How's the cleanup going?
'Just about there, sir.
'Then let me help you.
'Yes, sir. Thank you very much.

No matter how small the task, she never takes it for granted and thanks me.
Ginette doesn't think of it as a burden, does she?
Nor does she say it as a habit. You can tell that by his tone.

Ginette's words are always heartfelt.

I know it must be hard for you.
To put your heart into every word.
She does it without thinking of it as a hardship.
He doesn't listen to other people's stories or make fun of them, he listens to them carefully.
So, somehow, I feel at ease.

Maybe that's the way she is.
That's what makes Jeannette like Jeannette.



'Yes . That's it, sir.'
'Good work.'
'Hmm. Good work.'
'Did I do something wrong?
'Oh, no. ...... Hmm.'

I ask Jeannette, waving my hands in the air to drain the water. What are you laughing at?

'I think I like that about you, Yashiro.

Hmm?

'Whenever I do something that makes me think, "Oh, I worked pretty hard just now," Yashiro-san always sees it and says, "Good job. ....... I'm very happy about that.

No, anyone would at least say 'good work'.

'I feel like a grandfather.
'How dare you treat me like an old man?
'Mm-hmm. I'm not talking about your looks.

I know.
There's a part of me that somehow overlaps with your beloved grandfather.
You've been saying for a while that I look like your grandfather.

But you know what?
You're like your grandfather, the man you loved. ......
You loved your grandfather because of his personality, his warmth, his kindness...

That's like saying that I'm like the person you loved. It's also the root of your love for him.

...... I'm sure it doesn't mean anything deep like that, though.

'I'll be careful of the smell of aging'.
'Hmmm. I also like the smell of Yashiro-san.
'...... Deny me, age-related smell.'

And please don't call me 'likeable'.
I know you don't mean anything by it, but ...... itchy.

I love the smell of Jeannette too, I want to sniff her all day long.
'Huh!I'm not sure what to do.
'Hmmm, payback.'

The punishment for unintentionally upsetting someone will be swiftly executed.
You will learn firsthand how your words and actions are perceived by others.

After talking about smell, people naturally want to keep their distance.
...... No, it's too obvious in the case of Jeannette.
She took half a step away from me. I could barely smell her. If she did, it was the smell of good food.

'Well, Magda told me that the smell of the manager makes her stomach rumble.
'Heh. ...... Hmm. I might get eaten one of these days.

Ginnette giggled and shook her shoulders, apparently having no problem with what Magda said.
Magda bites down on Jeannette. That's something I'd like to see.

'Well, I'll have a share of that too .........'
'Please repent.'

When I stared at a certain part, I was forced to do penance with a smile.
I don't think it's good to impose your religious beliefs on others. Yes, I do.

'Good. Then let's go to bed too.'
'Yes, sir. There's always tomorrow.'
'Well, I guess there won't be any ...... visitors, though.'
'But tomorrow will come.

It will probably rain heavily tomorrow, too.
But tomorrow will come.

It's strange that Ginette's words don't sound like 'I have a job even though there are no customers', but rather 'I'm sure you'll have a good day no matter what the situation is'.
I guess it's because his basic attitude is positive.
If I said it, it would probably sound different.

Words can have different meanings depending on the way you understand them.
It's such an ambiguous thing.


So it's better not to say anything too careless.
For example...

'By the way, Mr. Yashiro...'

--Like this guy.

'Do I look like the landlady?
'Huh?'

I couldn't help but let out a voice from a strange place.
Unperturbed by this, Jeannette continued.

'No, no. I'm sure you've heard of it, but I've never heard of it.

I'd rather you didn't say it than be embarrassed by your own statement.

But it's about the landlady.

Yeah. The landlady.


This is one of the brilliant passing skills I used to dodge the troublesome entanglements of those who love to talk about love and have unrequited love.

'Hey, hey. Who's your favorite person?
'Your mother~'.

That kind of thing.
It's something even a child would do.

You can find a lot of people who are interested in this kind of thing.

So don't take it so seriously.
Don't take it so seriously.



--Don't look at me like you expect me to.

The landlady I mentioned as a means of escape when I was asked about my significant other.
In that case, she mentioned what she thought was important to deceive the other person.
It was the kind of content that could be perceived as romantic, and Filman was deceived, but thanks to ......, he misidentified the person as Jeannette.

This means that Ginette fits the criteria that my "significant other" is important to me, so that means that her resemblance to the landlady means that ...... I think of Ginette as, well... .........

'Or ...... the face, it doesn't look like ...... that at all.'

...... No.
When you can't say anything conclusive after the word 'I mean', then you know I have nothing to say.

'I see. ...... Hmm.'

Jeannette laughed quietly, and then looked a little pleased. Did I misunderstand her when I said she looked ...... like that?
I'm sure I'm tired too. Yeah. Tired of being bored. Or maybe I'm just too tired from the last few days.
Either way, you should just go to sleep, on days like this, yeah.

'Well then, Yashiro-san. Let's go.

Without further discussion of the subject, Ginette speaks to me with her usual smile.
She walks out of the kitchen into the hallway, stands in front of the door leading to the backyard, opens her umbrella, leaves half of it open, and waits for me.
She opens her umbrella and leaves half of it open for me, as if to say, 'Let's walk the short distance to the second floor, through the rainy courtyard, together under one umbrella.

'Oh, oh. It's time to go to bed.

He wasted no time in adding an excuse that he didn't even know what it was aimed at, and accepted the umbrella Ginette was holding.
When I start walking, Jeannette follows me without saying a word.
Next to me, at the same pace.

The rain is pounding down so hard that you can't hear much if you try to talk in it. I excuse myself and walk in silence.
Instead of the coldness of my right shoulder, which is quickly soaking wet, all I can think about is the gentle breathing next to me.

If you try to cheat someone, the repercussions will come right back to you.

--