Chapter 9: Going on a ‘picnic’ with the girls!

6 PM.

Today is the day of the full moon.

“Mana… I’m stuffy.”

“I’m sorry, young lady.”

“I’m afraid you’ll catch a cold like last time.”

“Can you understand?”

“…Okay.”

I’m sorry, young lady…

The young lady is wearing her existing outdoor clothes, plus an overcoat, scarf, gloves, earmuffs, and a mask.

..It must be very uncomfortable.

Please wear that until I get health-related artifacts.

It’s clothes worn in autumn, but it’s chilly at night in spring too.

“Well then, shall we go on a picnic?”

“Yes!”

One hand holding the young lady’s hand, the other hand holding a basket containing the food we’ll eat on today’s picnic, I set off.

Going on a picnic at sunset…

It’s really very new.

“Where are we going?”

“There’s a pretty flower that blooms at this time of year.”

“We’re going to see that.”

“I’m so excited!”

The young lady is so excited that she holds my hand, swings her arms back and forth, and jumps up and down.

…Ah, she’s really too cute…

“Young lady, you’ll get hurt if you fall while running like that.”

“Th, that’s not good.”

“We’ll have plenty of fun today, so don’t worry.”

“Let’s have fun, okay?”

“Yes!”

What we’re going to see today is the flower field I saw on the way here, when I was struggling to survive.

At first, I wondered why it was here, but now I think it was a coincidence, perhaps for me to go with the young lady.

We’re going to a flower field that only blooms at night.

Of course, in reality, or rather, in my past life, there’s no way such a flower would exist, but this is a fantasy world.

I’m not a magician, so I don’t know the exact theory, but there is a mysterious blue flower that only opens its petals at night to receive the magic of the moon.

…There are many other strange things besides that.

“Picnic~ Picnic~”

“Are you that happy?”

“Yes! Very!”

You look like it.

The distance is not that far either. Even walking leisurely with the young lady, it takes about 20 minutes.

We arrived at a place located a little higher than our house, with a great view and lots of blue petals.

“Woooooow..!”

“How is it?”

“It’s really pretty, right?”

“Is this all flowers..?!”

“Yes, they haven’t bloomed yet, but when the sun goes to sleep completely and the moon rises, then the flowers will bloom beautifully.”

…Is that possible?”

“Of course.”

“There are also flowers that bloom at night.”

“I see…”

“Where… shall we go inside?”

“…Stepping on the flowers?”

“Don’t worry.”

“They won’t die from that.”

“I wouldn’t know about ordinary flowers, but these are very strong even if they look like this.”

“…Then it’s okay.”

I go into the flowers with the young lady.

Carefully.. carefully… The young lady walks as carefully as possible not to step on the flowers.

I also move so that every step doesn’t step on the flowers, matching the young lady.

“Mana walks very well…”

“This is also etiquette. How to walk quietly, secretly, and smoothly!”

“Wow… I want to walk like that too!”

“The young lady will be able to walk like this soon too.”

“Always looking at your feet like you are now is the most basic thing.”

“Okay.. Like now..!”

One step.. One step.. Sometimes assisting the young lady who takes slightly bold steps, we move forward and arrive at a suitably sized rock among the flowers.

“The flowers won’t get hurt here, right?”

“Yes!”

Then, first, I spread the prepared blanket on the rock.

Then I sit down.

Hmm.. It’s a little cold.

“Young lady, sit here.”

Tap tap, I pat my thighs with my hand, and the young lady naturally sits on my thighs.

“Thank you, Mana!”

“You’re welcome.”

“Now, shall we watch the sunset together?”

“Yes! I want to!”

The sun is half-set in the distance.

“…Mana told me.”

“That the sun is going to sleep.”

“That’s right.”

“The sun is tired, so it’s going to sleep.”

“…Then why is it red?”

“It’s very white during the day!”

“Well.. It’s probably because it’s working very hard to brighten the world.”

“When you do something very hard, you get short of breath and your face turns red, right?”

“I see…!”

“Mana is so smart!”

“You don’t know anything!”
(She means it as “You know everything!”)

“Ahahaha, not really.”

“Ugh, Mana is smart!”

“…Since you insist, shall we say that’s the case for now.”

I carefully hug the young lady and blankly watch the sunset.

“…It’s pretty.”

“Yes, it’s pretty.”

“…It’s like Mana.”

“Yes?”

“…It’s pretty like Mana.”

“What are you saying, young lady, it’s embarrassing.”

“But it’s true.”

“It shines brightly like Mana.”

“But it doesn’t hurt.”

“That sun must be kind like Mana.”

“…I think the young lady will surely become a wonderful writer later.”

“Writer?”

“What’s a writer?”

“Someone who writes books.”

“If it’s the young lady, you will surely become a wonderful writer and move many people.”

“…Someone who writes books…”

“Or you could become something else.”

“Like a magician.”

“Or if not, you could become a pretty and lovely young lady.”

“You can do anything.”

“Th, thank you…”

…So cute.

As I chatted with the young lady about this and that, the sun slowly set, and the time of stars and moon arrived.

“Young lady, would you like to look around?”

“Huh?”

“Here, now the flowers will gradually bloom after receiving the moonlight.”

“..I’m really looking forward to it.”

As the moonlight that dimly illuminates the dark sky comes down, the blue-leaved flowers slowly raise their heads and unfold their petals.

“Woooooow..!”

“It’s too early to be surprised.”

And soon, the fully bloomed flowers each sparkle little by little, emitting a blue light.

…I’ve seen a few flowers at the Count’s house, but it’s really pretty to see it like this.

“…It’s really.. pretty…”

“Right?”

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen such a beautiful scene.

“…Beautiful.”

The young lady stares blankly at the surroundings.

The time when the sun sets was beautiful, but like this, a scene where starlight seems to sparkle on the ground is surely a good thing to see.

“…Blues are everywhere..”

“Yes, it’s really pretty, right?”

“…Amazing.”

..It seems like she’s completely captivated.

The young lady, who is looking around absentmindedly, is very cute.

“Young lady, shall we eat now?”

“Huh? Yes, no? Uh… I want to eat a little later.”

“I want to see more.”

“If that’s what you wish.”

As the young lady wishes.

After a long time admiring the surrounding blue flowers, a growling sound comes from the young lady’s stomach.

“Ah..!”

“It’s time for dinner, right?”

“It’s a little late, right?”

“You don’t have to be embarrassed.”

“Ehehehe…”

Well then, shall we eat dinner?

Tonight’s dinner is the standard for picnics.

“It’s sandwiches!”

“Great!”

“I wanted to eat sandwiches!”

“Sandwiches for a picnic!”

“Haha, it will surely be very delicious.”

Fresh sandwiches made just an hour ago..?

It contains thin lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and various hams.

It’s a fantastic combination that can’t possibly taste bad.

“Come on, eat up.”

“Thank you for the food~”

Waaang..!

The young lady takes a big bite of the sandwich.

…Ah, so cute.

Really… there’s something on your cheek.

I gently wipe off the tomato juice on the young lady’s cheek, and the young lady looks at me and smiles with her eyes.

“It’s delicious, right?”

“It’s delicious!”

“Yes, yes, you can talk after you’ve finished eating.”

“Yes!”

…Sigh,

Even though I haven’t slept well for the past few days…

I feel so good being with the young lady like this today.

…Lovely young lady.

“Mana, take a bite too!”

“Thank you. Nom…”

I take a bite of the sandwich the young lady was eating.

Hmm.. It’s really well made with just the right harmony.

“There’s water and juice, so please tell me which one you want.”

“Then I’ll have juice!”

“Yes~”

Here, there’s a glass of orange juice~

Glug.. Glug.. Glug..!

“Pah!”

“Pfft… Do you like it?”

The young lady had fallen asleep.

“…Sweet dreams.”

I carefully pick up the young lady, gather our belongings, and head back home.

The next morning.

“Good morning, young lady.”

“Good morning, Mana…!”

The young lady, refreshed and full of energy, greets me with a bright smile.

“Did you sleep well?”

“Yes! I had a dream about flying in the sky!”

“Oh, that sounds wonderful.”

“It was! I flew over the blue flowers, and they sparkled even brighter!”

It seems like yesterday’s picnic had a lasting impression.

“I’m glad you had such a nice dream.”

“Me too!”

“Now, shall we get ready for the day?”

“Yes!”

Another day begins, filled with the promise of happiness and shared moments with my precious young lady.

She’s sleeping, isn’t she?

…Carefully, I hold the young lady in my arms and start cleaning up with one hand.

“Ummm… Mana… I like you…”

..It’s really too much to be told that even in your sleep.

After cleaning up perfectly, carefully.. I leave the flower field so that the young lady doesn’t wake up.

…Next time the full moon rises, I’ll come here with the young lady and play.

I’m sure she’ll love it.

“Mana…”

…So cute.

For the next few days, as promised with the young lady, I spent time sleeping together, eating together, playing together, studying together, and taking walks together.

Every day, I put a lot of effort into daily quest-like housework, as well as maintaining the mansion and cleaning the walls, so now it doesn’t look like an abandoned house.

Weeds… you were a formidable enemy.

Anyway, after spending a few days like that with the young lady, I encountered a problem.

“Young lady, do you happen to have any leftover mana stones?”

“Huh? Mana? Stone? What’s.. that?”

…It seems like I need to go to the village once.