To the Royal Capital with Grandfather and Grandmother
Gray was just about to enter Father’s study.
“Gray, do you have a moment?”
“What is it, Young lady?”
“Um, I was wondering when Mr. Taiki might come?”
“Taiki? According to the last report, it should be in about two months. Why do you ask?”
“There’s just something I want.”
“What is it you want?”
“Glutinous rice and red beans. Glutinous rice is different from regular rice, and red beans are a kind of bean…”
“Glutinous rice and red beans… They might actually have those in the royal capital.”
“Eh!? Really? Where!?”
“Do you remember that spice shop you visited before?”
“Oh, the one in the back alley?”
“Yes, that one. The owner there should be a relative of Mr. Taiki.”
“The owner... you mean that older lady?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“I want to go! I want to go! Oh, but I need to get Father’s permission.”
“Haha, yes, you do. Go ahead.”
Gray opened the study door for me, and I stepped inside.
“Father, I have a request.”
“Hmm? What is it, Joan?”
“I want to go to the royal capital! To the spice shop!”
“What for this time?”
“I want glutinous rice and red beans. I really wanted to wait for Mr. Taiki, but since he won’t be coming for a while, I want to buy them at the spice shop in the capital.”
“I see... Then someone will have to accompany you. Could you wait in the living room, Joan?”
“Okaaay~”
When I left the study and went to the living room, as usual, Grandfather was dozing off and Grandmother was reading.
“Oh? Joan. What’s the matter?”
“Yes. I asked Father if I could go to the capital, and he told me to wait in the living room while they decide who will accompany me.”
“To the royal capital? Why?”
“There’s something I want to buy at the spice shop. Glutinous rice and red beans.”
“The spice shop in the back alley?”
“Yes. You know it?”
“Of course. That’s Nao’s place, right?”
“Is the owner’s name Nao?”
“Yes, Sachiko introduced her to me once. Then maybe I’ll go with you. It’s been a while since I’ve gone to the capital.”
“Really? Yay, I’d love to go to the capital with you, Grandmother! … Grandfather, will you come too?”
“Hmm, I suppose I will. Can’t pretend to be asleep around you, Joan.”
““Ahaha.””
Just then, Father and Gray came in, so I told them that Grandfather and Grandmother would accompany me. Father seemed to have intended to ask them anyway, so with his formal permission, we used the transfer gate to travel to our estate in the royal capital.
＊＊＊＊＊
“Welcome home, Master, Madam, Young lady Joan.”
“““““““““Welcome home.”””””””””
“Oh, we’re back. It’s been a while, Liam, Martha. Are you both well?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Martha, have you lost a bit of weight? Are you all right?”
“Madam, ever since I received Young lady Joan’s dried fruit, I’ve been feeling much lighter.”
“Ehehe. That’s just like Joan’s dried fruit.”
“So, where are you off to today?”
“Oh, the spice shop in the back alley… right, Joan?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Oh my, that’s Nao’s shop. Please give her my regards.”
“Huh? Martha, you know her?”
“Yes, our children were classmates.”
“Ah, you’re mom friends, then.”
“Mom friends… is that so?”
“Ah, in my previous life, that was the term used when moms of children were friends.”
“I see. Then yes, we are mom friends.”
“We should also start preparing for enrolling at the academy soon.”
“Preparing?”
“Yes, we need to buy uniforms and things for the dormitory, don’t we?”
“Oh, right. I wonder what the uniforms look like?”
“Oh? Haven’t you seen Sarah and Anny’s? They should be wearing them when they go to the academy.”
“Ah, I’m always in the kitchen when they leave for the academy, so I haven’t seen them. I’ll ask to see when they get back.”
“Being in the kitchen from morning… you really do love cooking, don’t you?”
“Yes. I do love cooking, but more than that, I love how everyone gets happy eating something delicious I made.”
“Wahahaha, just like you, Joan.”
While chatting like that, we arrived at the spice shop.
“Welcome~... Oh? You’re the girl who bought a lot of spices before, right?”
“Hello~ You remember me?”
“Of course I do. You bought a lot and even healed my back.”
“Ah, now that you mention it, that did happen. Ehehe.”
“… Joan? I’ll want the details later.”
“… Yes, gladly.”
“It’s been a while, hasn’t it, Nao?”
“Eh!? Madam of the Lampail family? … Then this is that young lady from Lampail?”
“Umm… ‘that’ young lady?”
“Oh no, nothing bad. It’s just, Martha’s always bragging about you whenever we meet. She says you’re kind and adorable to everyone… and now I see what she means.”
Just what has Martha been saying?
It’s embarrassing…
“So, Madam, are you looking for anything today?”
“No, we’re just accompanying her. Joan’s the one looking for something.”
“Um, do you have glutinous rice and red beans?”
“Yes, we do… Wait, are you perhaps the cute, good-at-cooking girl Taiki mentioned? The one who’s good with ingredients from the eastern country?”
“Eh!? Even Mr. Taiki’s been talking about me?”
“Yes, and Aunt Sachi said it’d been a while since she’d met such a pleasant girl too. At our family’s New Year’s gathering.”
“Ahh, even Sacchan…”
“Wahahaha. Joan, you really are loved by everyone.”
“That’s right.”
Eastern ingredients aren’t in high demand, so they’re not displayed in the shop. Nao said to wait a bit and went into the back of the store.
What do you think about this chapter?
