That night, everyone gathered around the dinner table.
The entire Hatano family, including Grandma Seralinde, was there, along with Noah and Parker-san.
And, of course, the fairies.
I introduced the fairies to Grandma and Noah’s group. In other words, I showed them photos on my smartphone so they could recognize the fairies.
This was something we had agreed on beforehand with Four Seasons-san and the others: to reveal their existence to a select few.
The selection criteria were based on trustworthiness, of course, and the fact that they had visited our home before—and were likely to visit again in the future.
Grandma would always be welcomed as a family member. Noah and Parker-san had already visited our home once because of Mint, and both were aiming to make their way here independently someday. According to Karen and mother, they were likely to succeed, given their abilities.
So, it was better to let them know now. After all, there’s a door in our house that connects to the ‘Fairy Realm of Tir na Nog’ alongside the fairy-tended English garden.
Though I had already informed Grandma of their existence, she was still quite surprised when meeting them face-to-face. Noah and Parker-san were equally astonished. Even so, all three of them, eyes wide in disbelief, accepted the innocent, tiny beings and promised to keep their secret.
Unlike their previous stay, no one was spying on Noah’s mansion anymore. For them (and their leader), Noah had transformed from ‘a subject to be monitored for missteps’ to ‘an important business partner whose displeasure must be avoided at all costs’.
In front of the lively fairies, Grandma smiled kindly, Noah nodded with composure, and Parker-san joined in the cheerful conversation.
Of course, having their existence known more widely wouldn’t necessarily be a good thing, and we have to be cautious—but hopefully, one day, we can introduce them to Berde-san and the others too.
※※※
The next day was dedicated to resting from the journey, and preparing for the feast.
We hitched the handcart and set out to purchase a large amount of supplies.
「Hello, I’d like some tomatoes, please.」
「You got it.」
The vegetable vendor, who I’d become familiar with at the market, nodded at me as I arrived with Chocola.
「Hey, human, are these red things fruits or vegetables?」
Asked Drizzle, perched on my head, tugging at my hair.
Bonfire, who was riding on Chocola’s back, quickly intervened.
「Drizzle, save your questions for later. We said not to talk to us in public; it’ll make Sui look suspicious.」
I chuckled inwardly and spoke to the vendor.
「By the way, in my hometown, some people mistakenly think tomatoes are fruits because we eat them raw.」
「Oh… I’ll never forget how you just bit into one right here that one time.」
「Let’s just let that go… Ah, I’ll also take two bags of those cherry tomatoes, please.」
「Got it.」
「Oh, so it’s a vegetable. Nicely done, human.」
「Drizzle, don’t cause trouble, okay? Right, Chocola?」
「Bark… bark!」
TN: Tomatoes are fruits. Bananas are berries.
Chocola barked off in a random direction. The vendor ignored it. Well, sometimes dogs do that—bark at nothing in particular. It can be quite startling.
We continued purchasing all sorts of things—meat, vegetables, seasonings, and more.
Seeing the mountain of food piling up on the handcart made me feel quite pleased.
「Wow, that’s quite a lot you’re buying today. Got something going on?」
「It’s rare to see you alone. Where’s your usual elf friend? Did she dump you?」
「Hey, you there! The fish sauce you wanted last time is ready! You’re buying it, right?」
Walking down the main street, I made my way through the familiar faces who had gotten used to seeing me around.
And then, as I stopped by a shop selling river fish—
「Excuse me, you’re Sui-san, right?」
「Yes, that’s me… Are we meeting for the first time?」
The ones who had spoken were two people working at the shop.
One seemed about 17 or 18, the other 14 or 15. Their facial features were quite similar, so I guessed they were probably brothers.
Both were tanned and looked rugged, with lean yet muscular builds. They were likely fishermen, but I didn’t recognize their faces.
Because river fish spoil quickly and could be caught near our home, I hardly ever bought them in Sidera, and I’d only visited this shop once or twice. This time, I wanted to source fresh ingredients locally for the party, so I decided to stop by—
The brothers flashed friendly smiles and bowed.
「We’re Tomoe’s little brothers. Our ane and Schnei-niichan have been in your care.」
「Oh… you’re related to Tomoe-san!」
I was surprised. Their demeanor was completely different, so I hadn’t realized it. But now that they mentioned it, there was a faint resemblance.
「We’ll be in your care tomorrow too. Are you planning to use the fish we caught? If so, please take as much as you want.」
「Yes, I do plan to use them, but I will pay for them properly.」
「But that would mean you’re just giving us money.」
「We’ve already had plenty of cakes from Tomoe-san. If I took fish from her brothers for free, I wouldn’t be able to look her in the eye. Please, let me pay.」
「Sorry, and thank you very much.」
After some back and forth, I handed over the money and bought two large fish.
From the shape of their heads, they were probably some type of salmon or trout. Given the season, they were likely salmon.
Still, they were huge. Each one was about as long as my outstretched arms. The scales, which glistened in a bluish steel color, and the sharp shape of the fins were otherworldly.
「Have you been fishermen for long?」
「My brother and I have been going out to the river since we were about ten.」
To the south of Sidera lies a large river.
It flows from the northwestern mountain range, which borders the western edge of the Void Forest, all the way southeast to the sea. It’s called the Stipas Great River, I think. It’s a vital water source for the people living in this area, so wide in some parts that you can’t even see the other side.
This is a different level of fishing than my hobby of catching a few fish for fun. They take boats out, and with monsters lurking in the waters, it’s a dangerous job. The brothers’ well-toned bodies, despite still growing, were evidence of the hardships they faced.
「Our dad was a good-for-nothing, so neechan had a tough time. Now that Schnei-niichan is finally taking her in, all of us in the family are relieved.」
The older brother’s voice choked up a little as he said this.
「To us, Tomoe-neesan is like a mother to us, and Schnei-niichan is like a father. That’s why we’re happy that they found happiness. It makes us incredibly happy that Schnei-niichan is becoming part of our family for real… Thank you, Sui-san.」
I could tell just by the sound of his voice.
How Tomoe-san had raised them, how Schnei-san had supported them, and how, because of their care, these brothers were now healthy.
So, I said:
「I haven’t done anything. You should say those words to Tomoe-san and Schnei-san.」
「Yeah… that’s a bit embarrassing.」
「There are feelings that won’t be conveyed unless you put them into words. Someone I know once made their partner anxious by keeping things inside, which led to quite a bit of trouble.」
「Oh, I see. I get it now.」
The brothers, realizing who I was talking about, chuckled wryly.
「Well, I’ll be heading back. See you tomorrow.」
「Looking forward to it!」
After saying goodbye to them, I continued pulling the cart down the main street.
What else did I need to buy? I opened the notes app on my smartphone, where I had listed the menu and ingredients, and checked for anything I was still missing.
「Hey, human.」
A voice came from above my head. It was Drizzle.
「Bonfire and I have been here before, right? Back then, I just thought it was a noisy, chaotic place.」
「Yeah, yeah, it was pretty fun, wasn’t it?」
「Were you even listening? I didn’t find it fun at all.」
Bonfire, perched on Chocola’s back, chimed in, only to be sharply rebuffed by Drizzle. Yet, while gazing at the bustle of the town, Drizzle spoke.
「But today, as I watched the town and saw you talking to so many people… I realized it’s different.」
She hugged my head tightly with her whole body and continued.
「It’s noisy because people are talking to each other. It’s chaotic because emotions are flowing back and forth. And it’s all jumbled because each person, just like us, is living their life. I think I was jealous of that.」
「I see.」
So I nodded in response to her revelation.
「Well, that’s how it is. You all seem pretty lively, noisy, and chaotic to me too. Seeing so many siblings together, I find myself feeling envious. So when we get back home, you should get Four Seasons-san and Color-san involved and have a good, noisy time together.」
「Yes, I think I will. …Hey, human, what’s that over there? It’s all shiny and smells sweet!」
The solemn moment lasted only a second before Drizzle started fussing over some candied fruit she had spotted.
「Mint, the dragonlings, and now you… Is candied fruit really that enticing?」
「Bark. kwuun…」
「What’s this? Do you want some too?」
Oh well.
I chuckled softly and stopped in front of the candy stall.
When we get home, I’ll be busy preparing the ingredients, so I guess a little sugar won’t hurt.
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