“Speaking of which, what have you requested there all of a sudden? Though it’s great it was accepted.”

“You know, the permit doesn’t cost us anything, and there are benefits as well.” (Wendelin)

◆◇◆◇◆

With Therese"s request for reinforcements from Earl Mizuho Country granted, we decide to leave Mizuho Castle and sightsee in Mizuho.
As it seems we have been provided a reservation in a high-cla.s.s hot-spring hotel which has open air baths available at night, I look forward to this as well.
To the spa and delicious j.a.panese cuisine, that is.
Just how much luxury is that, I wonder?
Given that we are only staying for one night, I have to start the sightseeing and the selection of souvenirs in a hurry.
As it’s no good if I don’t eat delicious food, I don’t even have a second to lose now.
I rush to the money exchanger to change my Helmut Kingdom currency into that of Mizuho.
The copper coins are square with a round hole in them. The silver coins are oblong resembling a silver quarter ryou from the Edo period. With the gold coin being a koban* itself, ten gold coins are a large koban which is called 『Ten Ryou』 ooban. (T/N: A ryou was a gold currency unit in pre-Meiji j.a.pan Shakkanhou system. It was eventually replaced with a system based on the yen. The Tokugawa shogunate attempted to create a central currency, based on gold, silver and copper units all exchangeable at fixed rates. Oblong gold coins, called koban, were minted with one koban containing about one ryō of gold, so that koban carried a face value of one ryō. The official rate was set in 1609 at one ryō equal to 50 monme (approx 187 grams) of silver, or 4000 bra.s.s coins. However, in reality the relative values between gold, silver and bra.s.s currencies fluctuates almost on a daily basis throughout the Edo period. (source wiki))

There are differences in their shape, unit system and names, but it’s not overly complex as there’s no difference in the quant.i.ty of gold, silver and copper used.
Well then, as I’m walking in the city wondering what to buy, Ina came asking about the reward some time ago.

“It won’t be fulfilled if we don’t win anyway. Even if we get the reward, there won’t be any loss to the empire.”

The condition, which I set, is a permission to have direct trade between Baumeister Earldom and Earl Mizuho Country.
As there’s also the matter of distance and the number of magic airs.h.i.+ps, I will probably just come to buy things with 『Teleportation』, but it means that I’m lawfully allowed to do so.
Of course High Earl Mizuho has accepted that unconditionally.
But that’s only natural as an increase in sales is a cause for celebrations after all.

“You want the products of Earl Mizuho Country that much?” (Ina)

“Yes! If possible I want to buy up all of it!” (Wendelin)

Getting all psyched up, I exchanged an amount of 100 million cents, but upon reflection I came to the conclusion that it’s not good to buy up a large quant.i.ty of goods and food since we will head into battle after this.
Instead it’s probably necessary keep the quant.i.ty down as much as possible while increasing the variety.

“First is the tea house I failed to visit.” (Wendelin)

“You are quite fixated on that one, aren’t you?” (Katharina)

“I haven’t eaten anything since this morning after all. Are you not going to eat, Katharina?” (Wendelin)

“I will, but…” (Katharina)

Because we cannot visit the tea house at the ridge, we enter one in the city, but the city’s appearance and the tea house’s interior completely looked like a scene from a historical drama.
Commoners and peddlers are eating dango‘s and such while drinking tea.

“Welcome to our shop!”

A pretty poster girl*, who wore an ap.r.o.n and a Mizuho uniform, which resembles a kimono quite well, shows up. (T/N: kanbanmusume … a pretty girl to attract customers)
Her age probably isn’t that different from ours.
Her black hair, which extended down to her hips, was tied up in a bundle in the back. She was an orthodox, j.a.panese-styled beauty.
That’s a pretty poster girl for you.

“What’s your order?”

“Your love, please.” (Erwin)

“Err…”

“Humph!”

“Ouuch!”

As the other party is a beautiful girl, Erw immediately tries to pick her up, but mine and Burkhart-san’s fists drop on his head making him sit down on his seat forcibly.

“Don’t make me lose face!” (Wendelin)

“But, I want to be loved…” (Erwin)

“Did something happen with that man?” (Therese)

“He had his heart broken a little while ago.” (Wendelin)

“I see.” (Therese)

Therese faced the playboying Erw with a slightly sympathetic look.

“Even though his face is nice, a woman will pull back since he’s too greedy.” (Therese)

Therese’s a.n.a.lysis was 120% correct.
However, I do believe that she shouldn’t talk about someone else’s matters.

“Excuse me, what’s your order?”

It seems that the poster girl is used to handling such guests.
Without any care, she asks us about our order.

“Tea for everyone! And the entire menu!” (Armstrong)

“All of it?”

“Indeed! Everything!” (Armstrong)

Dous.h.i.+ was a free spirit in a different meaning.
He orders the shop’s entire menu.
As it appears that even the poster girl didn’t antic.i.p.ate such a development, she’s quite surprised.

“Dous.h.i.+, can you eat that much?” (Burkhart)

“No worries!” (Armstrong)

“It’s alright.” (Wilma)

Burkhart-san asks while looking worried, but in addition to Dous.h.i.+ there’s Wilma here as well.
There’s probably no need to worry if it’s at the level of a tea houses" menu.

“I will start from the dango‘s.”

Simple white dango‘s, herb dango‘s with anko in it, and skewered dango‘s in a sweet soy glaze; the sweetness of eating them after a long time drags me into a maelstrom of deep emotions.

“They are delicious, aren’t they, dear?” (Elise)

“I’m inferior to a professional after all, huh?” (Wendelin)

“Next time we will challenge it, too. Let’s go back after buying the ingredients. It’s said that if the climate and soil quality is different, even the same crops taste differently.” (Elise)

Certainly, the taste of rice and adzuki beans might be nice in Earl Mizuho country where the winters are cold.
As expected of Elise who is an expert in cooking.
She pointed that fact out quickly.

“The things you occasionally make, Wend, they were dishes from Mizuho. How did you know about those?” (Ina)

“From the library in Breitburg.” (Wendelin)

Ina asks a perceptive question, but the library of Breitburg has the feudal lord’s support and boasts of a scale in the number of books collected that ranks second to only the royal capital Stadtburg.
As expected, since even Ina hasn’t seen through all the books in the library, she didn’t realize that I’m lying.

“Wendelin, thee are interested in books and food? It seems like we will get along.” (Therese)

“Therese-dono, are you skilled at cooking?” (Wendelin)

“Somewhat. I can’t make too many dishes, but what I can do isn’t limited to trivial dishes either.” (Therese)

That’s what Therese says, but since I don’t know her cooking ability there wasn’t anything I could reply to it.
If I actually have her make me something, it’s possible that she will make me eat something outrageous.
Currently I don’t even have time for such things. Ignoring it here is probably the intelligent solution.

“The sweet red-bean soup is delicious, but I wonder how they are getting their hands on sugar?” (Luise)

“The sugar is harvested from sugar beets.”

Poster girl-san answers Luise’s question.
Given that the sugar coming from sugar canes has a high price as an imported spice, it seems to be normal to obtain sugar from sugar beets in Earl Mizuho Country.
It seems that the remains of the squeezed beets are used as fodder for the cattle.

“That’s not different from the sugar from the sugar cane.”

“Since its similarly sweet, I will end up getting fat again.” (Katharina)

“Though you are often saying that, Katharina, you actually appear to not weigh much…”

When we eat sweets, Katharina always says that she will become fat if she doesn’t diet.
It’s really strange since she isn’t gaining weight like the bourgeois wives of the capital.

“Is that so?”

“Mostly the feeling of her cheeks when embracing her.” (Wendelin)

“Wendelin-san…”

Katharina ends up being astonished, but this is also a point I won’t concede on.
Although being overweight isn’t good, it’s also a fact that I’m not attracted to overly thin women.
However it’s often said that women are fussy if many of them gather in one place.
I ate delicious-looking food while talking with Elise and the others, but among them there were two people who were creating an odd scenery.

“All of them are delicious!” (Armstrong)

“It’s time for another round.” (Wilma)

“Certainly, it is as you say! Onee-san! Get us the entire menu once more!” (Armstrong)

“Once more!?”

While piling up a large amounts of plates, Dous.h.i.+ and Wilma were devouring heaps of sweets and even demanded a second serving in the end.
Even the poster girl ends up reflexively raising her voice at Dous.h.i.+ who ordered the entire menu twice.

“You two, are you alright?”

Cutting a single sweet bean jelly into small pieces and eating those, Burkhart-san was truly worried about those two while showing an expression as if he had a sour stomach.

“No problem!” (Armstrong)

“Plenty of room left.” (Wilma)

“If you say so…” (Burkhart)

Burkhart-san, who finished eating the sweet bean jelly, was amazed by the appet.i.te of those two.
It’s probably supported by his feeling of wanting to drink alcohol soon though.

“There were many things I ate for the first time, and they were very delicious, too!” (Armstrong)

“Satisfied.” (Wilma)

“That is, if you eat that much…”

Having savoured sweetness at the tea house, we move towards the next shop.
Burkhart-san was astonished at Dous.h.i.+ and Wilma who ate a dreadful amount of sweets, but even I want to tell them various things.

“There’s still plenty of food ahead of us, but…”

Certainly, the sweets, which were served in the tea house, were delicious if compared to the things I created with my low cooking skill.
Now that I think about it, those were dishes I created by using trial and error while suffering hards.h.i.+ps in the Savage Lands during my loner childhood, but one should go to specialists for the best results after all.
This means it might be necessary to hire a cook from the Mizuho people.
I decided that I will consult about this later with High Earl Mizuho.

“Don’t fret! My stomach is only filled by less than half!” (Armstrong)

“Lots of room left here as well.” (Wilma)

“Then it’s fine.” (Wendelin)

“Is it really!?” (Erwin)

Erw, who failed to pick up the poster girl, retorts at me, but since we are still going to get other food, it will be problematic if I tell them that they can’t eat it.
As it’s impolite to not order anything after entering a store, there’s no problem as long as they can eat.
The bill won’t be that large either.

“Next is… Found it!” (Wendelin)

『Soba』 is written on a sign curtain hung at the shop’s entrance.
I’m finally able to eat soba after coming to this world.
Since it would kick up too much of a fuss and as I would be considered weird, I enter the store’s inside while pretending to have found this store spontaneously.

“They serve both, chilled and hot soba.”

I enjoy both options, but Elise’s group didn’t order anything but one type.

“Get us the entire menu.” (Armstrong)

“Looking forward to it.” (Wilma)

“All of it, dear customer?”

“Don’t worry since we can eat it without any problems!” (Armstrong)

“As you wish…”

These two once again surprised the soba restaurant’s onee-san, who came to take our orders.

“It’s delicious, you know?”

Since there was soba in the south as well, I tried to obtain and make them, but with my skill they ended up becoming thick pasta noodles.
I tried to experiment with noodle sauces as well, but the taste was lacking. Soba is food you can’t make successfully unless you have a certain degree of knowledge.
Despite that, it can be normally eaten in this Earl Mizuho Country.
Going by the current situation, I should be able to greatly look forward to other j.a.panese food, too.
However, there’s a single problem.

“Even though it’s the long-awaited Mizuho cooking, we can only eat it until tomorrow morning.”

Since dinner will be served at the high-cla.s.s hot-spring hotel High Earl Mizuho prepared for us, I should be able to expect a lot from the alcohol and the food.
But, there’s also the trap called dinner and breakfast being at fixed times.
I want to eat various dishes until we have to return if possible, but if I overeat too much, dinner won’t fit in my stomach anymore.
That’s a seriously troubling matter.

“As I have a limited stomach size, the problem is what I shall eat, I guess.” (Wendelin)

“Why are you seriously worrying about such stuff…?” (Erwin)

Erw looked at me with an expression showing that he doesn’t comprehend.

“If only I could eat as much as Dous.h.i.+ and Wilma.” (Wendelin)

“Imitating those two is dangerous.” (Erwin)

I end up being considered a strange fellow by Erw, but I didn’t want to be told that by someone whose pick-up attempt was ignored by the waitress-san even in this soba restaurant.

“Then, you try to pick her up, Wend! You will definitely fail!” (Erw)

It’s impossible for me to do that.
Even though I have come here to eat, why do I have to do something like picking up girls?
One thing has nothing to do with the other, I believe.
And, Erw has forgotten the most important fact.

“What kind of stupid stuff are you saying…?”

Though I stopped while thinking d.a.m.n it, it was already too late.

“Erw, what will you do if he really gets deceived by someone because of that?”

“I don’t wish to increase the quarrel over household affairs.”

“Useless retainer. You can’t even pick up any girls.” (Wilma)

“I believe that many women would swarm him if Wendelin-san did something like acting like a playboy, but…” (Katharina)

“d.a.m.n it! Just where can I find my own looove~~~!?” (Erwin)

Erw, who was called worthless by Elise and the other women, began to stress eat soba.

“If they are selling noodle sauce and dried noodles, we will be able to eat soba at any time.”

“Are you that pleased with it?”

“Yes. How about the alcohol, Burkhart-san?”

“This cold alcohol, it’s delicious. Let’s buy it and go back.” (Burkhart)

Rather than the soba, Burkhart-san apparently liked the j.a.panese sake-like alcohol which he had ordered as supplement.
He had another cup of the cold alcohol while eating soba dumplings as a side dish.

“(I saw those kinds of old men in soba restaurants on my days off.)” (Wendelin)

Of course that’s an event which happened in j.a.pan.

“Earl-sama, you didn’t think about something rude just now, did you?” (Burkhart)

“No (isn’t he a perceptive one…). Onee-san, about this alcohol.” (Wendelin)

Once I ask the young waitress-san about the alcohol in order to dodge the question, it seems to be called Mizuho Sake which uses rice as an ingredient.

“(I guess it’s j.a.panese rice wine after all.)” (Wendelin)

I try to sample it and the taste was the one of j.a.panese sake.

“Now then, I’m greatly satisfied.” (Armstrong)

“Thanks for the treat. Since I’ve heard that it’s healthy to eat moderately, I will stop around here.” (Wilma)

Wilma said something dreadful, but I decided that I didn’t hear it.
Once we finished our meal at the soba restaurant and left the store, Wilma and Dous.h.i.+, who ate a large quant.i.ty in this place as well, revealed satisfied expressions while stroking their bellies.

“I think that’s only natural considering how much you have eaten though.” (Erwin)

On this topic, Erw is right with what he’s saying.

“Next is shopping, I suppose.”

———————————- End of Part 1 ————————————–

Clothes will be first since there are many women, but this is Earl Mizuho Country.
As those clothes are basically items which are called Mizuho clothes and use the same way of wearing as kimonos, it’s futile if I don’t recall how to fit kimonos.
Elise’s group is happily checking ornate hairpins, which had expensive jewels attached to them, and Mizuho clothes with beautiful patterns in a high-cla.s.s-looking store which had 『Dry Goods』 written on its signboard, but they decided to buy them on the next occasion.

“It’s regrettable, isn’t it? Let’s hire a maid who is capable of helping with the dressing.”

“I think that’s too extravagant.”

“I do have money after all.”

I will negotiate with High Earl Mizuho about a maid, who can help with the dressing, later as well, I guess.

“Earl-sama, you usually don’t live very luxuriously, do you?” (Burkhart)

As Burkhart-san says, our usual livelihood isn’t that extravagant.
Since we belong to an Earl household, we keep up the minimum of outwards appearance, but the inside isn’t like that at all.
Given that we are also working as adventurers, there isn’t any great difference to other adventurers when we are camping. Even the ingredients such as choco, the native fruits of the Demon Forest and the monster meat weren’t paid with money since we are actually getting them ourselves.
Import and purchase of food is probably the entry in the account book with the highest expenses.

“Wendelin, thee are gentle to thy wives.” (Therese)

“Really?” (Wendelin)

“As I’m a d.u.c.h.ess, I’m getting bored by nothing but strangely servile folks. The ones who praise the clothes I tried on are only the merchants, who want me to buy them, and retainers who will never tell me that they don’t suit me.” (Therese)

At least at the time she wore clothes, she’d like to have a man capable of normally telling her whether those clothes suit her or not.
In Therese’s current position that was also a wish that can’t be granted to begin with though.

“Even if Mizuho clothes are impossible, can we at least buy accessories?”

The shop next door was selling accessory cases and combs which had expensive ornaments embedded as lacquerware.
In addition there are also expensive tea utensils, lacquer work and hanging scrolls.
There’s indeed a great number of j.a.panese-like goods being sold.

“Elise, how about this comb?” (Wendelin)

“It’s easy to use and enters the hair gently.” (Elise)

Since the merchandise isn’t that expensive, Elise and the others buy the ones they like one after the other.

“By the way, Wendelin, can’t thou buy one for me?” (Therese)

“No… That might be impossible…” (Wendelin)

If I suddenly bought something for a n.o.ble from a foreign country and moreover a woman who isn’t my wife or lover, strange rumours would very likely spread.
Besides, currently my position is just that of a magician who was hired by Therese.
It would be preposterous to give a present to a person in such high position.

“Even if it does turn into a rumour, I won’t particularly mind though.” (Therese)

“I will be the one troubled by it!” (Wendelin)

If the n.o.bles of Helmut Kingdom learned of it, there would definitely be some among them starting to say such things as 『Earl Baumeister was ensnared by a prince-elector of Holy Empire Urquhart』 or 『He succ.u.mbed to her allure』.

“Next is a magic tools shop, huh…?”

Once we entered another magic tool shop, a lot of articles were lined up inside.
Even though its outward appearance is j.a.panese-styled, it’s s.p.a.cious completely like a large consumer electronics shop.

“Welcome!”

After browsing through the displayed items, many of them are general-purpose items and all of them are smaller and their price is around twice as expensive as the the ones in Helmut Kingdom.
But, as it seems that their mana consumption efficiency is great according to the clerk’s explanation, many of them run for around 30% longer than the ones in Helmut Kingdom if they are charged with the same amount of mana.
They excel at miniaturization and mana conservation techniques.
Surely the items were similar to those made in j.a.pan.

“The magic tools created by Earl Mizuho Country have a higher efficiency and power than those made by the empire.”

There isn’t that much of a difference in performance between the magic tools produced by the empire and the kingdom.
In other words, it was no exaggeration to call Earl Mizuho Country the best on the continent at the current point in time.
However, we didn’t buy any.
The magic tool types, which we discovered in the underground storehouse in the Demon Forest, were highly efficient after all.

“(However, the shapes and the arrangement of the switches is quite similar, isn’t it…?)” (Wendelin)

Apparently Earl Mizuho Country has existed since the time when the empire was a small kingdom in the south.
Though it’s only a small portion of the Mizuho clan members who seem to know about their roots, they might have moved here from the area around the Demon Forest.
If that was the case it would explain them possessing a unique, advanced magic tool production technology.
What might have caused the technological level to drop in comparison to the past possibly was the matter of losing a lot of skills during their nomadic period.

“You aren’t buying, Wend?”

“The performance of the items from the underground storehouse, we found in the Demon Forest, is good.” (Wendelin)

“Now that you mention it, that’s certainly true.”

“Aah! But let’s buy some.”

“Perhaps for selling them to the magic tool guild?”

According to Ina’s thinking, we should be able to make some profit by selling the tools to them.
The magic tool guild has bought a large quant.i.ty of the items, we discovered in the underground storehouse in the Demon Forest, and all the remains of the Rock Gigant Golem by relying fully on their too excessive a.s.sets.
All of it was for the sake of new technological development for magic tools, but frankly, the results are questionable.
With them being repeatedly told by their surroundings that they have no results to show, they should buy the magic tools of Earl Mizuho Country as examples for a high price all the more.

“It looks like it’s pretty much prohibited to take them along to a foreign country.”

“Is that okay?”

“The items are circulated into the empire. I think there are also some among the kingdom’s n.o.bles who possess some.”

Since those are items which can be bought in the empire if you pay money, it’s impossible that not a single magic tool has made its way out to the kingdom as well.
Besides, even the empire hasn’t caught up to the performance of the magic tools produced by Earl Mizuho Country.
That was also evidence for the production technology being hidden.

“That bunch from the magic tool guild. They will likely buy it since they have the money. It would be no more than earning some extra money.”

Even if they aren’t able to buy them, it will likely yield a good profit if we sell them to someone else.
The share, which isn’t affected by import taxes, can be sold cheaply within Baumeister Earldom.

“All types.”

“Umm, customer-sama?”

“As I said, give me all types.”

“Err… Are you really sure?”

“Yes, really.”

“As a matter of fact, there are also items I recommend except those on display.”

Once I placed a large amount of oobans in front of the clerk, he received me while having a face full of smiles.
He brings out the items which weren’t lined up at the storefront and explains their uses politely.

“I look forward to you visiting our store once again.”

Having bought all types of the magic tool shop’s merchandise, we head straight to the grocer.
In reality the magic tools don’t matter.
This place is Earl Mizuho Country which owns a j.a.panese-styled culture. In that case there’s only one item I want.

“I have been defeated after all, haven’t I…?” (Wendelin)

“Ah, they have the 『Miso』 and 『Soy Sauce』 that you created, Wend.”

Luise was surprised by the miso and soy sauce of which there are many varieties.

“Say Wend, you reproduced the flavouring of Earl Mizuho Country, didn’t you?”

“I guess those were created by Earl Mizuho Country. I didn’t realize since it was written in a worn-out book in the library.”

Though I’m repeating myself here, but that’s of course a lie.
Since Luise hasn’t the hobby of going to the library to read books, she probably won’t ever realize it.

“『Strong Flavour』, 『Light Flavour』 and 『Tamari*』; they have a wide range, don’t they?” (T/N: variety of rich soy sauce)

That applies to soy sauce but there is even miso resembling Hacchou Miso* and light-brown miso ranging from sweet to salty flavour. Of course I bought all types. (T/N: a special miso produced in Okazaki City in the Aichi Prefecture)

“The qualities of kombu, katsuobus.h.i.+, the noodle sauces, ponzu, tsukemono, nori and rice is great, isn’t it…” (Wendelin) (T/N: Google them if interested, can’t be bothered any more with all that food stuff…)

This place is a goldmine.
Although I can’t buy too much since we will go to war soon, it will probably be alright for a while if it’s just the share we use up by ourselves.

“They have dried noodles as well, don’t they!?”

Since they were also selling dried soba and udon noodles, I bought these to some extent, too.

“Oops! Forgetting mirin is no good!”

Alcohol and Mizuho Sake was also sold. A large quant.i.ty of shochus made out of rice, wheat and potatoes.
These can be used for cooking as well, and not just for drinking.
It’s a place where I want to buy as much as possible.

“s.h.i.+shou-sama, why is Wendelin-san that happy?” (Katharina) (T/N: s.h.i.+shou = teacher/master as in teaching martial arts)

“He’s been such a man for a long time. It’s not like he’s enticing women, so, isn’t it fine?” (Burkhart)

“I guess so. I think it’s cute, but…” (Katharina)

It appears that Burkhart-san and Katharina are talking about something behind me, but deciding to not mind it, I bought up large amounts of ingredients and seasoning made in Earl Mizuho Country from then on.

◆◇◆◇◆

“It looks like you are pleased with Earl Mizuho Country, Earl Baumeister-dono.” (Toyomune)

“Yes, thus please make sure that I can come here freely.” (Wendelin)

“I have to coordinate it with d.u.c.h.ess Philip-dono and the empire as well, but the part of you spending money while shopping is very welcome.” (Toyomune)

“I’m sure you want to protect the citizen’s livelihood by improving the economic activity.” (Wendelin)

“It helps that you understand quickly, Earl Baumeister-dono.” (Toyomune)

Once we headed to the high-cla.s.s inn, which was a.s.signed to us, as it became evening, a banquet sponsored by High Earl Mizuho was held there.
Since it’s a hot-spring hotel, we are also wearing the yukata which were provided by the inn.
As the bath is a naturally circulating hot spring that’s fed by a source, it’s effective against nerve pain and rheumatism.
With it apparently having the legend of improving childbirth in addition, Elise and the other girls told me that they want to enter it quickly.
There’s an open air bath, too. It looks like mixed bathing is possible today.
But first comes the meal. Once we enter the tatami-matted banquet hall, numerous dishes, which appeared usually at obon, were lined up.
Sas.h.i.+mi, tempura, high-priced cow and pig meat that was roasted with miso and nabe with small seafood.
It’s a deluxe edition of the menu I ate at the time when I went on the company outing at a hot-spring hotel in my previous life.

“I want a cook as well…” (Wendelin)

“The people’s migration belongs in the sphere of the empire’s government’s field of duty. I can’t tell them anything in that regard.” (Toyomune)

“Therese-dono?”

“Wendelin, the parts thou fuss about are unusual for a n.o.ble.” (Therese)

Even if I’m told that, it’s necessary to employ Mizuho people from now on to have them help Elise and the others putting on kimonos and yukatas as well as to have a skilled cook make Mizuho food.
That’s something I won’t yield on.
No, it’s for that reason that I will once again kill people.
If others learn of that fact, I will doubtlessly be treated as savage.
At least officially I’m moving for the sake of both countries’ stability.

“Let’s go with a toast then?”

It seems that they don’t hold overly formal banquets in Earl Mizuho Country.
I hear that they hold a banquet in such format, no matter who visits them.

“I like it, but there are many folks panicking about His Majesty the Emperor being forced to sit on the floor.” (Therese)

Although there are flat floor cus.h.i.+ons, tatami are treated as floor in the empire’s centre.
Though I don’t think so since shoes aren’t allowed.

“As they will only be stiff even if they visit. It’s convenient in reverse if they don’t come because of that.” (Toyomune)

High Earl Mizuho reveals his true thoughts without hiding anything.
As a result of that, the emperor had never made an imperial visit to Earl Mizuho Country.
Since they are half independent, the guarding is troublesome. Each time they made plans for it, it ended up vanis.h.i.+ng in the end.

“It’s the same with the prince-elector lords. It’s probably only me who ever came here.” (Therese)

Therese continues to talk while drinking hot Mizuho Sake.

“As for sightseeing, there are many interesting locations for the empire here.” (Therese)

The empire is a multiethnic nation, but there are unexpectedly few cultural differences.
The cultures ended up being absorbed over the last 2.000 years.
The only one among them who maintained its uniqueness, Earl Mizuho Country, was regarded as a popular tourist spot by the common people and the n.o.bles besides the prince-elector lords.

“Even though tourism is our main industry, the visitors are visibly staying away due to the current disturbances. Good grief, that duke-dono, who hails from a young, ambitious household, can’t read the mood at all.” (Toyomune)

High Earl Mizuho complained about the lowered income.
Even this hot-spring hotel which became our lodging place today, apparently suffers from wealthy guests not coming due to the coup d’etat uproar.
Under these circ.u.mstances, sightseeing being out of question for people at such level was only natural.

“If the disturbances drag on, the empire will decay, won’t it?”

“Seen on short-term it will decline no matter in what direction the situation moves. It looks like Duke Nürnberg has a sophisticated, detailed, long-term plan though.”

Therese was bitter towards Duke Nürnberg, too.
It shouldn’t be possible to create an empire, that gathers under one strong, centralized authoritarian rule, that easily.
The more unreasonable Duke Nürnberg gets, the higher the possibility for the empire to decline.

“He’s a troublesome person.”

“He has too many high aspirations, I guess.”

Although it’s a banquet, the coup d’etat and Duke Nürnberg, who is its ringleader, end up becoming a popular topic in the conversations.
However, before long the matters to talk about lessen and the banquet finishes slowly.

“Tomorrow will be an early start. Shall we enter the bath earlier than usual and go sleep afterwards?”

It’s the first time since my previous life for me to get into a hot spring and moreover even an open air bath.
I did have baths by digging up rocks, filling them with water and heating it in the Savage Lands during my childhood, but strictly spoken, those weren’t open air baths.
I decide to exclude those since they were mere outdoor baths.

“Erw, let’s go take a bath.” (Wendelin)

“Y-Yea…” (Erwin)

I try to head quickly to the open air bath after being able to have my fill of dinner, but the gaze of Erw, whom I invited, was absent-minded.
Once I look ahead to the place he’s staring at, I see a single woman standing there.

“Erw, she is?” (Wendelin)

“Yea.” (Erwin)

With him only saything that much, there’s no need to tell me any further.
In other words Erw fell in love at first sight with a woman he met at a new place once again.

“(That guy shouldn’t fall in love with women at any place he goes to.)”

“(It’s probably because he’s young.)”

Burkhart-san and Dous.h.i.+ whispered among each other, but without a doubt they are thinking that he will be rejected once again.
Certainly, if you look at her properly, she’s quite the beautiful girl.
Her height is around 160 cm. She is standing in a corner of the room with a proper posture while wearing a haori and light blue long underpants.
Her black hair, which is hanging down to her waist, is bound into a ponytail. She doesn’t seem to be that different in age compared to us.
A j.a.panese-styled beautiful girl with the air of a swordsman. Seeing her face, I was reminded of Karla.
It’s not like they are that similar, but her atmosphere resembled that of Karla well.

“Her?”

“Is she a guard?”

“They have many women in their ranks as well. She is connected to High Earl Mizuho. Look, she has three katanas, I think.” (Therese)

Her possessing a 『Magic Katana』 means that she belongs to the Battou Unit. Her skill should be quite high.
Yes, she was a beautiful swordgirl-sama.

“Basically the 『Battou Unit』 is an all-male unit. I have heard that there are only three women among them. Among those three, she is apparently overwhelmingly powerful” (Therese)

According to Therese’s explanation, she will accompany us from tomorrow onwards for the sake of guarding 『d.u.c.h.ess Philip-sama’s esteemed party』.
Well, I guess it’s about us.

“That girl is called Haruka Fujibayas.h.i.+ and seems to be 16 years old. Once she reaches my age, she will become quite the beauty.” (Therese)

Since she’s a beautiful j.a.panese-styled swordgirl whose atmosphere resembles Karla, it might be inevitable for Erw to fall in love with her.

“Rather than thou, Wendelin, Erwin fell in love?” (Therese)

“Possibly.” (Wendelin)

“It’s not a bad combination. Both of them use the sword. Haruka Fujibayas.h.i.+’s home seems to be a lower retainer household. She was selected for her sword skills which are unparalleled.” (Therese)

The instant he heard Therese-sama’s words, Erw’s entire body was filled with fighting spirit.
There shouldn’t be any hindrance in her case for her to become his wife.
Understanding that much, a fire of determination dwells once again in Erw’s eyes.

“Nice to meet you. I’m called Erwin von Armin and I serve as bodyguard of Earl Baumeister.” (Erwin)

The minute he understood that it’s not all hopeless, Erw rushed over at lightning speed to Haruka’s position and introduced himself.
Even though he should act as my guard, I don’t even enter his eyes anymore.

“Let’s have a preparatory meeting for a bit as fellow guards who will cooperate together.” (Erwin)

“Preparatory meeting, he says, eh…” (Luise)

Of course he does it properly, but there are also parts that are seen as happy-go-lucky by the female camp. Going by what Luise said, she doesn’t see it as anything but picking up girls in the disguise of a preparatory meeting as objective.

“I’m called Haruka Fujibayas.h.i.+, Armin-sama.” (Haruka)

“As fellow escorts who will guard d.u.c.h.ess Philip-sama together, please don’t add “-sama” to my name. Also, those close to me call me Erw.” (Erwin)

“Erw-san, it is?” (Haruka)

“Yes! I look forward to working with you, Haruksan. Although it’s quite abrupt, but let’s make arrangements regarding the guarding. The guarding inside this inn is perfect, but it will be necessary to strengthen our vigilance once we leave Earl Mizuho Country.” (Erwin)

“Yes.” (Haruka)

The beautiful swordgirl Haruka seems to basically have a serious character.
She doesn’t mind at all when Erw starts to talk about the job and also not being called by her name all of a sudden.
Once being told that it’s a meeting under the pretext of work, she began to honestly arrange things together with Erw.

“Such serious Erw, that’s the first time I see that.” (Ina)

“Me too.” (Wendelin)

I agree with Ina’s comment.
Noticing that the girl called Haruka is seriously trying to do her best after being chosen for such an important mission, he probably schemes to have her fall in love by him following up with her endeavour.
I believe he has a splendid observation and strategy, but until now that has never led to the realization of love.