Chapter 979 - The Autumn Sky is High
"—…Whoa."
I'd dozed off, been woken up by Ashe, gotten the gist of the situation, and come down to see what was happening, only to find a strange scene unfolding on the first floor. What was so strange about it, you ask…?
"Mother, this part is done."
"Eh? That was fast… Wait a second, you're really good at this. Am I the one helping you?"
And then there was this.
'—'
"Ah, yes, yes. I prefer that one too, if I had to choose. It had a certain stability."
'—'
"However, I personally felt the sequel… while not exactly bad, maybe the original was just too perfectly crafted. I couldn't quite get into it…"
'—'
"Ah, right. That's it exactly. The long period where the main character was absent was also—"
And so on, and so forth.
"…………They're fitting in about three times better than I expected…"
Sora and Mom. Nia and Dad. Each pair, with their own unique dynamic, was getting along splendidly against the backdrop of my family home. It was an everyday, yet not-so-everyday, scene.
The whole thing had such a thin veneer of visual reality that, while not impossible to process, it was making my brain short-circuit. I could only stand there, slack-jawed.
Well, Sora approaching Mom with a solid strategy was predictable… but Nia, too, was hitting it off with Dad over a 'common interest' without me even needing to leak information to either of them.
From the entrance of the room, I couldn't see Nia's 'voice,' so I couldn't grasp the full conversation, but judging by my dad's happy expression, their interaction was going smoothly—
So then.
"…………"
I glanced over at Ashe, who was quietly observing the scene beside me. I wondered what the princess was thinking; she seemed unconcerned about her late start, her expression calm and neutral.
…I kind of got it.
"Thanks."
"A natural consideration."
A single word of gratitude, a single word in reply. We kept it brief, avoiding anything tactless.
—Simply put, she was being considerate of my mom and dad.
Among the three of them, Ashe's fame and presence were undeniably in a league of their own. It was an unavoidable fact that the mental impact she had on others, not just my parents, would be on a completely different level.
That's why she hadn't just let Sora and Nia go first.
She was likely planning to wait until my parents had grown a bit more comfortable and relaxed by getting to know the other two first, so as not to overwhelm them, and then make her own move while gauging the situation.
In Ashe's case, that wasn't 'consideration.'
It was a display of 'confidence' that she could handle things no matter how late she started.
And, if I were to read her inner thoughts based on our time together so far…
"Oh, Nozomi. Are you free? You look free, so you must be free."
"Do you think the word 'rude' just doesn't apply when you're talking to your own son???"
My mom, spotting me standing there blankly while watching the two pairs in the kitchen and living room, tossed some遠慮のない (unreserved) words at her long-absent son.
"Go do some shopping for me while you have the chance. I stocked the fridge, but with six people for two days, it looks like we'll need a few extra things to make it work."
"Ah, okay. I don't mind, but…"
She paused her cooking for a minute or so, scribbled a memo with a flowing pen, and held it out to me.
"Sorry, but I'm counting on you."
"Got it."
We were close as she handed it to me.
In a low voice only I could hear, she asked for something else before returning to Sora's side.
—In other words…
"…So, Ashe."
"…?"
My mother is my mother. It's the 'wisdom of her years'… or something she'd probably smack me for saying, but I know from our long history together that her intuition in these matters far surpasses Ashe's.
In that case, there was only one thing for her son to do.
"It's not much of a local tour, but how about a walk?"
"Mm…"
Understanding both Ashe's consideration and my mother's perception, I just had to act the part of the clever operator, making sure everyone's intentions flowed smoothly.
Well, of course.
"Yes, let's go."
The invincible princess who nodded with a faint smile had probably seen right through our parent-child telepathy.
◇◆◇◆◇
"You two have a good relationship."
"Mm, well, there's a certain level of trust, big and small."
And so, we were outside.
I threw on a jacket, stuffed my wallet and phone in my pocket, and left the house under the late autumn sky. The temperature had dropped considerably for this time of year, but it felt even chillier here than in Tokyo.
Maybe the difference in heat distribution due to the incomparable population gap had something to do with it… or something.
"………………"
"…What is it?"
"Nothing."
As I walked, lost in idle thoughts, the roads and scenery that should have been so familiar looked like a stranger's face.
The reason for that feeling was obvious.
"…………You really don't suit a countryside view."
"I don't think that's true."
It wasn't because of Ashe's presence beside me.
It was clearly because my own consciousness had changed so much since I left.
"…………"
…No, it's not that it has changed.
It's because the me of today was able to change.
"Ashe."
"Mm. Wha—… What's gotten into you?"
"Nothing. —You're not wearing gloves. I was just wondering if you were cold."
I could make jokes like that now, and I could even muster the courage to offer my hand.
There was no one around to begin with, but my voice was a whisper no one could have possibly overheard. The rare, surprised look on Ashe's face as I called her name felt pleasant to my slightly giddy mood.
And so…
"…………"
"………………"
"……………………Hey."
"…Yes?"
"Your cheeks are red."
"Yeah, well, this kind of thing really doesn't suit me…"
Any minor composure I'd gained from my giddiness was the type to be easily blown away the moment a warmth enveloped my hand. As expected, some core parts of me couldn't change that easily.
Still…
"…I forgot to mention, but the supermarket is honestly a thirty-minute walk from here. Brace yourself for a one-hour round trip of uneventful countryside sightseeing."
"That… fufu. I wouldn't mind if it were two hours, or even three."
"You'd catch a cold."
I won't hesitate to step forward. I may look uncool, but I won't have regrets.
Compared to before I left this place… I might still have a lot of 'problems' by normal standards, but the fact that I was able to come back even a little better—
"A hometown date."
"That's a surprisingly vulgar phrase coming from a princess…"
"I can brag to the other two. It'll cancel out my late start."
"Could you please refrain from bragging, I'm begging you."
—Well, as a matter of fact, I suppose I could acknowledge it.