“Hmm. The market is lively, isn’t it? Just as Master said, there are plenty of vegetables even in winter,” Fuuko commented.
Kent and Fuuko had left the restaurant and moved to the market. It was lined with many stalls primarily selling foodstuffs, and many commoners sourced their food here.
“Fuuko, let’s hold hands so we don’t get separated.”
“I can find you right away by following Master’s magic power even if we do get separated, but if Master insists, I suppose I can let you hold my hand.”
Fuuko said this and gently extended her hand to Kent.
“Master, what is that?”
“Ah, it’s baked sweet potato. It’s really popular in this town right now. Want to try one?”
“It can’t be helped. I guess I can eat one.”
“Alright, alright. Excuse me, sir, two please.”
“Thank you for your business.”
Fuuko stopped at a stall, intrigued by what was being sold. It was a stall selling the popular baked sweet potatoes from Tiol’s town. Seeing Fuuko’s interest, Kent ordered two baked sweet potatoes from the stall.
“Be careful, they’re hot.”
“Don’t talk to me like I’m a child. I understand. *Hafu hafu, afi*.”
“Are you alright?”
“*Ho, ho ho tta*. *Ngu, ngu.* It was just a little hotter than I expected.”
“Yes, yes.”
Kent had told Fuuko to be careful as it was hot when she ate it, but Fuuko bit into the baked sweet potato without listening. She seemed to burn her mouth very badly as a result.
“Potatoes that grow even under relatively unfavorable conditions. Things like this will help solve the food shortage. Master was involved in this too, wasn’t he?”
“Well, I suppose so.”
Being mentioned by Fuuko again, Kent felt a little embarrassed.
“Why wasn’t someone like Master in the Duchy? If you were, the Duchy would be prosperous by now.”
“Is the Duchy’s food situation that bad?”
“Yes. The urban areas, where various things gather, are fine. But as you go to the frontier, the land becomes barren and crops don’t grow well. Well, this is also due to my lack of power. Maintaining fertile land is good in regions that rely on natural conditions, but otherwise, fairy power is needed.”
“Come to think of it, Hanako mentioned it before, about changing and maintaining the flow of water veins?”
“Yes. It includes things like that.”
According to Fuuko’s story, the Duchy’s food situation was not very good, and fairy power was needed to improve it.
“Thank you for the meal. It was quite delicious.”
“Is that so? I’m glad you liked it.”
“I-it’s not like I was praising Master! I just thought the baked sweet potato was tasty.”
Fuuko said to Kent, blushing slightly, and then threw the paper that had wrapped the baked sweet potato into a trash can placed here and there for the market’s beautification.
“Master. Do you know what comes next after satisfying hunger?”
“What would that be?”
“Hmph, are you playing dumb? It’s got to be lust. This town has that too, right? We’re going to a lodging house.”
“Whoa, hey, don’t drag me!”
Fuuko’s strength was greater than expected, and Kent couldn’t resist. Grabbed by the hand and dragged along, the two moved to the red-light district.
“I’ll rent a room.”
“Young lady, I apologize. this is no place for children. If you want to play, you should go to a park.”
“Tch, this place is no good either. I wish you wouldn’t judge people by their appearance alone. How old do you think I am?”
Kent and Fuuko moved to the red-light district and entered a lodging house, but they were refused entry due to Fuuko’s appearance. In fact, they had tried several places before, and all had given them the same response.
“How old are you, Fuuko?”
“Asking a maiden her age, you have not a shred of delicacy. I won’t tell you even if you ask ‘hundreds,’ understood?”
Kent asked Fuuko her age, but she refused to answer. From her response, he deduced that she had lived for a very long time.
“Haa, I never expected to be refused so many times. It’s killed my mood. And, looking around, it’s all suspicious shops.”
Fuuko seemed to have only searched for lodging houses and had only just now understood what kind of place she had come to. The street was lined with suspicious adult establishments, and despite it being daytime, many men were walking around seeking pleasure.
“Hey, Fuuko. It’s not good to stay here, so let’s go somewhere else.”
“The fact that such an industry is thriving is proof that the economy is moving. I think it’s worth looking around to broaden my horizons. So, come with me for a bit!”
“I can’t help it.”
Fuuko considered such places to be essential elements for town development and wanted to look around, so she told Kent. Kent reluctantly agreed to accompany her, but their combination stood out in the red-light district, and they were eyed with curiosity by passersby.
“I see. Although we weren’t allowed into the shops, I’ve generally grasped the situation.”
“…I’m tired.”
Fuuko repeatedly tried to enter shops that caught her eye while walking through the red-light district, but she was refused entry every time. Kent was a little tired, but Fuuko, having finished her investigation of the red-light district, seemed satisfied. The sun was already setting, and dinnertime was approaching.
“Fuuko, let’s head back soon.”
“I wanted to walk around town with you a little longer, but I suppose it can’t be helped. And what are you trying to make me say! Hanako might say something if we’re late, so let’s hurry home!”
Kent and Fuuko finished their town walk and decided to return home.
“I’m home.”
“Welcome home. Kent, Fuuko-chan.”
“…I’m home.”
When Kent and Fuuko returned home, Marie had already returned and greeted them. Seeing Marie’s gentle smile, Fuuko found herself unable to ignore it and replied with a greeting while blushing.
“Kent, would you like a bath? Dinner? Or… me?”
“In that case, me.”
“Oh my, Kent! You ask for me in front of Fuuko-chan?”
“Hmph, what a silly couple. I’m going first.”
Seeing the exchange between Kent and Marie, Fuuko was exasperated and went inside the house.
“Oh, my, it was just a joke greeting.”
“It was a joke?”
Marie had said it as a joke, but Fuuko had realized it. Meanwhile, Kent had actually been serious about embracing Marie and looked disappointed.
“Kent, welcome home. Please wait a little longer for dinner.”
“Master, welcome home. I’m preparing dinner right now.”
Catherine and Al were preparing dinner in the kitchen. They seemed busy as only their voices could be heard without them appearing before Kent.
“Mm, welcome back. Have you become close with ‘it’?”
“Don’t call me ‘it’! Call me Fuuko-sama.”
“Mm, no.”
Meanwhile, Hanako was eating tangerines in her kotatsu, peeking her face out towards Kent to greet him.
“Kent, this is a bit sudden, but is it okay for Fuuko-chan to live in this house?”
“That’s how it will be. Do we need to rethink the room assignments?”
“No, that’s fine, but I was thinking about what daily necessities Fuuko-chan will use.”
“I see. Until now, I could order them from the terminal, but we’ll have to procure them in town now.”
At Marie’s words, Kent fell into thought. Until now, even if the family grew, they could order things from the terminal, so there was no need to go shopping. But from now on, it wouldn’t be like that.
“Mm, in that case, it’s okay. I built a house for her in the garden.”
“I see, so we won’t be living together after all? And what kind of house did you build?”
“Mm, then, a grand unveiling. Fuuko, come along too.”
“It can’t be helped. Of course, you built a magnificent house for me, didn’t you?”
Hanako offered a helping hand to Kent and Marie, who were in a predicament. Fuuko would not be living with them, but a house specifically for her seemed to have been built next door. Kent and his companions decided to go see Fuuko’s newly built house.
