Number One

It was now evening in Kaina village, and so Jin decided that they should hurry on back.

As Elsa had not been given permission to use the warp gate by herself, Edgar took Reiko’s hand and Jin took Elsa’s hand and they went through it.

“Ahhh, older brother…Sister Elsa. Welcome back.”

Hanna welcomed them with a toothless voice. Hanna saw Edgar being pulled by Reiko and looked surprised.

“…Who is that?”

“Hanna, this is Edgar. The automata that Elsa created. I guess you could say that he is Reiko’s cousin.”

Hanna seemed to have understood this explanation.

“Really? So he is called Edgar. I’m Hanna. Nice to meet you!”

“Yes, Miss Hanna. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

Hanna scowled at these formal words.

“Edgar, I don’t like it when you call me ‘Miss.’”

Elsa agreed.

“Edgar. Hanna is Hanna. That’s what you should call her.”

“Yes, I understand. …Hanna. …Is that alright?”

“Yes, that is fine.”

Hanna and Elsa nodded at the same time.

“Welcome back, Master Jin. And Elsa…who is this?”

“Ah, this is the automata that Elsa made. Edgar.”

Mine’s eyes widened at this. Her own daughter was now able to make such an advanced automata.

“I think Elsa has a gift.”

Jin added.

“I-is that true?”

“Yes. It might have been better had she started earlier, but she can still learn so much even now.”

“…Elsa’s father only had her educated as a noble, ever since she was little. He had no intention of nurturing any gifts she might have had.”

Mine looked very sad. Then Elsa called to her.

“Mother. Brother Jin. What is it? Hurry up and come inside.”

Aside from Jin and Mine, the others had all gone into the house.

After dinner was over, Jin and Elsa introduced Edgar once again.

“I barely did anything. I only gave a few suggestions and watched to make sure that there was nothing strange. And so Edgar is definitely Elsa’s creation.”

“Wow! Sister Elsa!”

Hanna praised her without restraint and Martha also looked impressed.

“That means that Sara can focus more on helping Martha and Mine now.”

Currently, Mine was working the most, and so there was less for Martha, the house golem maid, and Sara to do.

Well, they were also guards in a way, so Jin meant to maintain the current structure.

＊　　　＊　　　＊

It was now the thirtieth of the fifth month.

Reinhart and Belche’s wedding would be on the following day. And so Jin planned to return to the Shouro empire in the evening. But he intended to play with Hanna as much as possible until then.

“Brother! Over here!”

Hanna rode on Mint and Jin rode on Koma as they went to the mountains. Reiko rode in front of Jin.

It was the same mountain they had gone to before to collect herbs.

“It’s been a while since we came here.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Kaina village looked small from here. And the summer breeze felt very good.

Jin and Hanna lined their golem horses together and enjoyed the scenery in silence.

“…Sister Elsa did so well.”

“Huh?”

Jin was surprised at this sudden declaration.

“She didn’t seem so reliable when she first came to the village. And she was a bad cook.”

Well, it wasn’t too surprising, since she had lived as the daughter of a viscount up until then.

“But she learned how to cook and can now clean and draw up water.”

“…”

“And she teaches me and can use magic. And recently, she practices in the workshop late into the night when you are not around.”

It was a side of Elsa that he hadn’t known. And now Hanna was telling him. Jin listened carefully.

“You know, it was her who said that we should let you do what you want.”

He had had a feeling about it. But he was still happy to hear it from her directly.

“…And so…”

Hanna stopped, as if organizing her thoughts. Then she started again.

“I decided that I need to do my best as well.”

“You?”

“I can’t just be spoiled all the time. I need to be able to help you.”

Hanna said. Then she smiled like a flower.

“I don’t know what I can do, since I’m still small, but after I study a lot and grow up…”

Hanna’s eyes had a serious light in them.

“…So I can become your number one.”

Hanna said with red face. Then she jumped off of Mint and ran away. Jin sat there in surprise.

“Father, please run after Hanna.”

Reiko said. And so Jin dismounted Koma and chased after Hanna.

There was a great field of grass near the top of the mountain. Hanna was running in it.

“Hanna!”

Jin called as he chased after her. Hanna turned around and stopped.

“Brother!”

Then she ran towards him and jumped into his arms. And like that, they fell onto the soft grass.

“Brother…”

Jin patted her gently on the head. Hanna’s cheeks turn red. She looked happy.

“Hanna, thank you.”

Jin was a little sad that he couldn’t say anything else. But they stayed there and enjoyed the smell of the grass and the early summer breeze for a while.

From afar, Reiko watched over them.

＊　　　＊　　　＊

There was a time difference of about three hours between Kaina village and the Shouro empire. And so Jin needed to leave Kaina village at nine in the night in order to return on the promised time.

That was why Jin played with Hanna as much as he could during the day.

And now it was nearly nine.

Jin had finished his preparations and was standing in front of the house.

“Well then, take care of things while I’m gone.”

“Master Jin, please give my regards to Reinhart.”

Reinhart knew that Jin was helping Mine, but Belche didn’t know. Reinhart would probably tell her later.

As for Jin, he hoped that they would come to Kaina village as part of their honeymoon.

“Brother Jin. Please give them my present.”

The mascot doll that Elsa had made had been wrapped up neatly and given to Reiko.

“Master Jin, you are leaving so soon again?”

Barou and Belle had also come out to see him off. He had decided to tell them of the existence of the ‘warp gate.’

Along with the information that it could only be used with him and could only take them to select locations.

“Jin, be careful.”

Martha looked at Jin and laughed.

“Brother, please take care.”

Hanna also laughed as she saw him off. A new tooth was starting to grow in place of the one that had come out.

“Good bye.”

And then Jin jumped into the warp gate and arrived in Hourai island and then teleported to the carriage in the Shouro empire.

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