The mountain road was awash with the smell of trees. Not used to that, having grown up in the capital, Fuuka took a deep breath. Miyako walked ahead, while Fuuka gazed at the back of her former rival in love, wondering, Why, why in the world did I take her hand?
“We’re almost there, Fuuka-chan.”
“I’ve had enough of these mountain roads...”
“The open-air bath is gonna feel great!”
Open-air bath. Fuuka shrugged her shoulders at this unfamiliar phrase. I didn’t notice when I knew her as a rival, but Miyako really is quite the eccentric.
“For today, let’s get in the bath, warm ourselves up, and then have an early night! It looks like the weather’s gonna turn tonight anyway.”
“How can you tell?”
“Look, the sky in the west.” Miyako pointed at the sky. The western part of the sky was dark. “The weather travels from the west!”
“...Wow.”
She can read the sky, admired Fuuka.
Reading the sky was one of the techniques taught as part of white magic. In this country, white magic had been the choice of girls from respectable families since ancient times. But now most people used their wealth to buy the title of “master” in name only.
The Hamilton family was no exception to this. Fuuka’s father told her, “If you’ve got the time to waste studying white magic, then go buy a dress or something instead.” Fuuka shot back with “If I don’t earn it myself, there’s no meaning in saying I’ve mastered it.”
Looking back on it now, I don’t think Father liked that either. But there really is no point unless I win it by myself, thought Fuuka. I’m sure I’m right about that.
“The clouds’re still far away, so hopefully the weather will last until we get home.”
Miyako’s using her knowledge of white magic so skillfully. She must be a much harder worker than I initially gave her credit for, thought Fuuka.
Although the truth was that in Japan, where Miyako once lived, being able to tell how the weather changed was just common knowledge.
“Hm, you’re not half bad, Miyako.”
“Huh? Did you just give me a compliment?!”
“No.”
“Argh, too bad.”
If I’m honest with myself, taking Miyako’s hand was just a momentary lapse. I was a little worn out. Life here has been filled with things that I could never have done in the capital. I was able to work in the field like I’d always wanted to and try cooking, which was harder than I thought it’d be. And today was the first time I’ve ever been able to use Continental in a real conversation, after all those years of studying. I know that it was half lip service when Shan Li said that I’d make a fine merchant, but it made my heart leap. I can’t even really describe it. All the work I’ve put in is paying off in the real world through my own efforts. To put it incredibly simply... It feels like my exhaustion just melted away.
“That’s it. I was just a little worn out.”
“What’s that?”
“Nothing.”
That’s all; I was a little worn out. So, when I took her hand by the window as the wind blew in, her strong, pale hand, I was just a little worn out. I’m sure of it, just a little worn out.
So, I’ll use these two weeks to relax. “You have two weeks; make me say ‘I’m happy’ before then.” That’s what I said, but I neither intend nor expect to say ‘I’m happy.’ This is just a two-week-long prank.
Just then, a plant growing by the riverbank caught her eye. It was a medicinal herb she had only ever seen in field books.
“Is that moonlight grass?”
“Hm? What’s that, Fuuka-chan?”
“It’s a rare medicinal herb. It’s a highly potent alpine plant said to carry the blessing of the moon goddess, and to be effective against any and all diseases.”
“Really? Should we grab some?”
“No, it’s okay,” said Fuuka, shaking her head. “Moonlight grass is famous for being difficult to preserve. We shouldn’t waste it.”
“Right. That makes sense.”
Fuuka inched closer to it.
Then another inch, and another.
“...”
“With that said, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with just observing it from closer up, is there?”
“Heh heh, nope. I don’t think there is, Fuuka-chan!”
Once I’m back in the capital, I’ll probably never have another chance to look at wild moonlight grass. So that’s that, my hand has been forced.
“All right, wait there for a moment. I’ll... Ah-Aaaah!!”
Jubilant, Fuuka tried to descend into the stream, but her foothold was muddy, and... splash.
✦ ✦ ✦
Steam rose, lovely and warm, in this secluded hot spring. Fuuka let a moan escape, and trembled.
“Aaaah... it feels so good...”
It’s so warm. I can feel it warming my frozen body from the inside out! In fact, this feels far too good. What is this? I’ve never felt this good before...
“Ah, we sure are lucky there was a hot spring near us!”
“Miyako, why is your nose bleeding?”
“Ahaha, the blood must have gone to my head,” laughed Miyako, wiping the blood away.
Fuuka put some distance between them.