“If there’s something I can do for her, I don’t mind doing it, but if she just wants to talk or lecture me about being more social, I can’t really deal with that...”
“Oh yeah, during the welcome party, she had all these people there to meet Nelly. Same with Ann. There were a bunch of nobles there around her age.”
When she remembered that, she figured Lati’s way of thinking must have changed for her to write about not wanting to rely on the prime minister’s family so that people didn’t think Noel was Ann’s fiancé.
“Hopefully there isn’t something like that again this time...”
“It’s fine. If something happens, we can just leave for the capital, right?”
He was ready to flee before they even got there.
Maybe because it was still spring, there were no large dragonflies around on the mountain paths, much to Sara’s relief.
“Wow, all the flat ground over here is fields. Yeah, it’s definitely a different feel than west of the mountains.”
“It’s safe to work in the fields too, since there are hardly any horned rabbits. I think they said they have cotton sheep in the north, though.”
“Those are monsters! So there are monsters here.”
It was Haruto’s first time in the east, so he was interested in everything, but these were paths Sara had already traveled. Still, the fields were at a different stage in their seasonal cycle than the last time she had visited, so even if the mountains were the same, the plains gave off quite a different impression.
“Using physical strengthening to travel like this, we’re like foot couriers.”
“Foot couriers?” That was a rather old-fashioned concept. “Come to think of it, I think I’ve heard that postmen would run for three or four days to get all the way from Edo to Kyoto back in the day.”
Unfortunately, Sara’s trivia was of little use in Trilgaia.
“We’re about to arrive in just five days. We’re totally on the level of those guys.”
They were having so much fun on their journey that even going at Sara’s pace, they were still arriving at their destination at the pace of super express mail.
“I mean, Elm’s carrying Ri’s letter saying we’re coming to get Ann.”
Now that she thought about it, wouldn’t the Greifs be bothered by having five people show up out of nowhere? It was a bit late to worry about that, but it seemed she had no reason to be concerned.
That same cheerful gate guard they had met before sent a runner to the mansion and Lati was there like the wind to greet them, hugging Elm tight. It was quite the distance from the gate to the mansion, so her excitement at their arrival was very apparent.
“Elm! It’s been so long! Let me see your face!”
“You’re gonna have to let go of me if you want to see my face.”
“I’m so glad you’re here too, Sara!”
Lati didn’t listen, but Elm stayed cool. It was a conversation that clearly illustrated both of their characters. But rather than Lati, Sara found herself staring at Ann, who was running beside her, careful not to overtake her.
“Ann! You’ve gotten so...”
Not only had Ann grown in height, she’d gained quite a bit of muscle as well. That girl who had been so frail she seemed like she might disappear when they’d first met was gone. From the smile on her face and her lively energy, it was obvious just how much fun she was having every day.
Sara was so happy she felt tears brimming in her eyes. She couldn’t very well criticize Lati for worrying too much over the girl, now could she?
Ann gave Sara a gentle hug. When Nelly hugged her, she felt happy, but with Ann, there was a bit of embarrassment mixed in there. Still, she was happy, so she wrapped her arms around Ann as well, which was when she froze in shock.
“Ann...”
“What is it?”
Ann pulled away and gave Sara a curious look, to which Sara lifted her head slightly and stared, mouth agape.
“You’re taller than me...”
“Oh. Hee hee hee.”
It was so cute how Ann tilted her head slightly and fidgeted, her hands clasped behind her back. It was cute, but hadn’t she grown a bit too much?
“I think I’ll get even taller. I was originally over 170 centimeters, you know.”
“You’re still growing...”
“You’re so funny, Sara.”
Sara was a little embarrassed that Ann was laughing at her, but it was no time to be getting so surprised at her height.
“You know Allen and Kuntz, so... I’d better introduce you to Haruto.”
Sara turned around, flustered. Really, she should probably introduce Elm first, since he was going to be her guardian. No, maybe she should wait for Lati to introduce Elm. No, they should go back to the mansion first. No, maybe she really should start with Haruto.
Sara’s head was spinning with Ann’s unexpected growth. Before she could decide what to do, Haruto stepped forward.
“Forgive me for speaking before I was introduced.”
Haruto had a rare serious look on his face, so Sara kept quiet and left things to him.
“I’m an Invited. I’ve been in Trilgaia for over ten years now. My name is...”
Haruto. Sara belatedly realized that she’d never heard him called anything other than Haruto.
“...Haruto Gallagher. I’m under the care of Count Gallagher. My Japanese name is Nishiya Haruto. The characters are ‘western valley’ and ‘a great leap.’”
“Umm, nice to meet you. I’m Ann Greif. My Japanese name is Yoshikawa Anzu.”
“Anzu, eh? Can I call you Ann?”
“Yes, that’s fine.”
So that’s how you write Haruto’s name, Sara thought as Allen and Kuntz came into view out of the corner of her eye. She worried for a moment that they’d been left out of the conversation, but when she turned to look, she saw that they were both staring slack-jawed at Haruto.
She thought Ann’s growth was more surprising, but when she looked back at Ann and Haruto, she was reminded of when she’d first met Haruto. Back then he hadn’t even been able to look her in the eye. He’d been rude and he hadn’t introduced himself. But the Haruto who stood here now was closer in age to Liam or Ted when she’d first met them—an actual adult. Sara realized that she’d been dragging around her first impression of him all this time. Allen and Kuntz must have just realized the same thing.
“I’ll be accompanying you to the capital, and I’m thinking of staying there for a while. Feel free to rely on me for anything as a senior Invited.”
“Thank you.”
The two continued exchanging proper greetings as Sara, Kuntz, and Allen were standing there speechless. Afterward, Haruto turned around and looked right at Sara, who had to resist the urge to take a step back.
“I’ve been regretting it all this time, Sara. Not being able to greet you properly the first time we met, I mean.”
“Really?”
Haruto and regret just didn’t seem to go together to her. Once again, she realized she was dragging around her old impressions of him.
“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Haruto, an Invited from the capital. I’m under the care of Count Gallagher. My Japanese name is Nishiya Haruto. You write it with the characters for ‘western valley’ and ‘a great leap.’ Let me know if you ever need anything. I’ll help you out as best as I can as your senior Invited.”
“Umm...”
It was the same thing he’d said to Ann. He must have decided that he would greet them like that the next time he met an Invited.
At the time, Sara hadn’t introduced herself as an Invited. She’d known that there were Invited in the capital, but Haruto hadn’t known that there was an Invited in Rosa. It wasn’t like you’d get along with someone in a similar situation right away unconditionally. Sara understood well what it was like to regret not saying something you should have. So she responded to him in kind.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Sara. I’ve finally arrived in Rosa after landing on the Dark Mountain. Nelly, the caretaker of the Dark Mountain, is looking after me. My Japanese name is Ichinokura Sarasa. My last name means ‘the first storehouse,’ and my first is the fabric, chintz.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Same here.”
As soon as their greetings were done, Haruto’s face flushed red like it was on fire.
“Gaaah! This isn’t like me! It’s so embarrassing!”
He crouched down, holding his head, back to the old Haruto.
“There are a lot of strange Invited, aren’t there?” Lati watched Haruto curiously next to Elm.
“No, there aren’t.”
“You’ve got it all wrong.”
Sara and Ann spoke at the same time, then exchanged a glance and burst out laughing.
“What? I just wanted to do it right.”
Haruto stood, his face still slightly red, then turned to face Lati.
“I apologize for showing up unannounced when I wasn’t even asked to be here. I’m an Invited under the guardianship of House Gallagher, Haruto. I’d heard about Ann and wanted to meet her, so I took the opportunity to accompany my friends here.”
Sara was impressed he knew how to talk to people of high status like this.