I am the Nido family, and we have just been given the house next door."

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Elsa accompanied Edgar and went to greet the Countess Woodruff Arbelein von Elm on her right.

"How kind of you. Please wait a moment.

The elderly man who seemed to be the head of the household greeted Erza and retreated to the back of the house, then returned with a woman who seemed to be his wife.

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"Well, thank you for coming. You must be the Nido family?　I'm the Woodruffs' wife. My name is Jenna.

"Elsa Nido. Pleased to meet you. I brought you this as a token of our acquaintance. Please accept this."

Elsa gave Edgar the assortment of fruit she had given him.

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"Well, well, Citran and ...... Persica. That's very unusual. Thank you very much."

Countess Jenna was a friendly person who hugged Elsa's shoulder and invited her to the back of the house. She leads us to a brightly lit parlor.

The master is away on duty. So I'm bored. Please come with me for a moment to talk."

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"Yes, yes."

With that, the woman leaned forward from her chair and began to speak.

"You are lucky to have a brother who is a magecraft master!　He can make most things for you, can't he?"

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"I heard from my husband that the technical exposition was quite a lively affair, wasn't it?

"You're so quiet. I'm sorry I'm the only one who talks.

"My husband is the head of the technical department of the Ministry of Magic and Technology.　He might know your brother?

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"If you ever need any help, you can always count on me."

"Yes, yes, the neighbor's wife. ......"

At the Countess's party the other night, ......

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Skirts are all the rage nowadays. ............

For about an hour, Elsa was kept in the Countess's company as she chatted.

"I'm ...... tired."

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Mentally devastated, Elsa was compelled to go to the next house to say hello.

On the left is the Viscount Volker Goltmann von Orck.

The master of this house, the Viscount, was out of the office, so the Viscountess Sharona Goltmann von Tanne was the one who greeted us.

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"My goodness, what a lovely young lady you are. Your brother is a magecraftsman, isn't he?　I hear His Majesty remembers you very well.

Elsa was free during the day as well, and once again was kept company for an hour or so of chatting.

"......"

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"Erza-sama, are you all right?"

Edgar, concerned about Erza's somewhat pale face, called out to her, to which she replied shortly, "I'm fine.

"This will be the last time."

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Of the three houses on the other side of the street, the two houses directly across the street from Baron Jorgens Heckerath von Paddock were empty, so a quick hello to the baronesses would be the end of the day's plans.

For Elsa, who had never been to a social gathering, the chatter of the ladies was a marvel.

(...... How could they talk so much? ......)

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It was almost as if talking was a part of being a noblewoman.

(But I think ......)

Erza thinks that Jin is rather averse to noisy people.

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(It's fine the way it is, right?)

No one will answer the question in her mind.

"Well, you're very kind. You are the sister of Sir Jin Nido, aren't you?"

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Again, the Viscountess was the one who answered. Her name was Lexia Heckerath von Kamerere.

Elsa Nido.

"Elsa, yes. Nice to meet you from across the street. How old are you?

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Yes, I'm 17.

Yes. That's a good age. You're single, aren't you?

Looking at Elsa's left hand, the baroness said more as a confirmation than a question.

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"...... yes."

"Do you have a particular partner?"

"No, no, not really."

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The baroness was so pleased with his answer that she bit her lip.

"Oh, really?　You know, I have a nephew who's turning 21. He has joined the Kingsguard, he's only a squire at the moment, but he's a good boy with a promising future.　What do you think?"

Elsa had no way to answer that question.

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"Oh, um, I'm not ready to talk about that yet..."

Stammering, Elsa has no other choice but to decline softly.

"Really?　She's a really nice girl.　Oh, or do you have a boyfriend?"

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"E......"

Elsa's cheeks turned a little red at the mention of the word "your love".

"Well, well, well. Well, I can't help it then. I'd like to ask you his name, but it would be rude to do so when we've just met."

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"......"

And so, somehow or other, Elsa finished her round of greetings to her neighbors.

* * * * * *

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"Let's go over there!"

Hannah was walking around with Behrle in Leuthart.

"Aren't you tired, Miss Hanna?

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"Yes, I'm fine.

After looking at the shopping street, Hanna came to the park.

"There are no flowers.

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"No flowers." "That's right. It's already deep autumn."

"Oh, but there are some berries on the ground.

There was a corner where many round and round brown berries were lying around.

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Hannah crouched down and started to pick them up.

"They are castanopsis fruits, aren't they?

The tree has large leaves like a tengu's fan in Japan. The leaves turn yellow in the fall.

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"Can we eat them?"

"Well, you have to grind it and soak it in water to eat it.

Behle had never eaten it either, but he had heard about it.

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"Hmm."

Hannah was still picking them up.

Hannah was looking down at the ground as she continued to pick up the pieces, when her head bumped into another head.

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"Ow!

"It hurts!"

Are you okay?

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Behrle, who had not expected to be hit by a head, rushes over to her.

The person who bumped into her was a girl about the same age as Hanna. She seemed to be a nice young lady, and her escort was running to her.

She had slightly wavy blond hair and blue eyes.

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"I'm sorry, sir.

"I'm sorry, too!"

They were both clutching their heads and falling on their backs, and all around them were the castanopsis fruits they had collected.

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"Miss, are you all right?　Is your daughter hurt too?

"Hauro, yes, I'm fine."

Yes, I'm fine too.

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Siede is called Siede.

I'm Hannah.

Hannah, nice to meet you.

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"Yes, Sheede, nice to meet you!"

The two of them, perhaps having something in common, became friends as they fell on their butts.