Kaito and Shallow Vernal were enjoying their time in Hydra Kingdom’s Founding Festival, buying ice creams from a stall and sitting on a bench in a nearby plaza to rest and there, they ate their ice cream.
The bench, which was unnaturally empty even during the crowded Founding Festival, was also thanks to the generous support of the Gods.
[Kaito-san, while we’re at it, why don’t you taste my ice cream too?]
[……No, we got the same flavor though?]
[While we’re at it, why don’t you taste my ice cream too?][……Ah, yes. Then, I’ll have some.]
While wryly smiling at Shallow Vernal, who, despite buying the exact same ice cream, sought to compare tastes with him, Kaito seemed to be enjoying the moment in his own way. And of course, Shallow Vernal is in a good mood all the time today, and even when they’re taking a break like this, their conversation is lively.
Was it because they talked about onsen ryokan a while ago? Or perhaps, was it just a random thought that crossed her mind? In any case, Shallow Vernal turned to Kaito and asked.
[We talked about onsen a little while ago, but you do like onsen, right, Kaito-san? And so, I would like to ask you…… For example, putting aside whether it’s actually possible to reproduce it, what is the best kind of onsen you envision, Kaito-san?]
[H- Hmmm. That’s quite a difficult question. I like onsens themselves, but I don’t know enough about them to know how exactly an onsen is different from another. If I were to point out something I could feel the difference…… It would be the view. While it might not resonate with Shiro-san, the view of vast nature, like soaking in the onsen while gazing at Mt Fuji, feels incredibly luxurious.]
[Fumu, Mt Fuji?]
[Yes, errr, it’s difficult to explain what it’s like, so if you could just read it from my memory…… No, I’ve never seen it directly though, so it’s just my knowledge from seeing it on TV.]Mt Fuji, which Kaito had mentioned, caught Shallow Vernal’s attention and reading its image from Kaito’s mind, she accurately read Kaito’s ideal landscape for an onsen.
Of course, for Kaito, this was merely a casual conversation, a continuation of Shallow Vernal’s earlier question, with no other intention behind it. In this world, onsen might be considered as a minor culture, and Shallow Vernal was probably intrigued by this, or so Kaito thought.
However, when Kaito is being optimistic like that, the conversation usually goes in a different direction than he expected, as while conversing with Kaito, Shallow Vernal mentally calls out to Makina.
(Earth God, can you hear me?)
[Unnn? What’s the matter, Shallow Vernal? You don’t have to worry, the onsen ryokan is now……)
(Please also create a Mt Fuji too.)
(Mt Fuji!? Huh, eh? What’s with this, all of a sudden!?)
(I want to enjoy a luxurious view with Kaito-san, so please make it an onsen where we can see Mt. Fuji.)
(……N- No, creating a Mt Fuji…… Doing that in the middle of the city is just impossible, okay? I mean, that’s a mountain……)
(Then, just make that onsen ryokan outside the city.)
(Even though I’ve gone all the way to the royal castle to talk about this!?)
Certainly, requesting to add Mt. Fuji as some sort of freebie to an orthodox onsen ryokan is akin to a demand that would make an ordinary person’s face resemble that of a cat cast into space if granted, and naturally, Makina would throw out her complaints in response to such a request.
Of course, with Makina’s power, it would be easy to create a mountain or two. However, suddenly creating a mountain would cause a huge commotion, and she didn’t feel like going to the royal castle littered with walking lumps of flesh again.
But even so, in the first place, by being compelled to comply with such trivial matters, Makina had shown her flaw in this matter.
(Don’t forget that this was all because you engaged in what’s contractually considered within the gray areas without informing me. In return for overlooking it, you are contractually obliged to fulfill my demands in this matter. The extent of said demands aren’t clearly stated. Thus, Mt Fuji is also considered within it.)
(Guh……)
(Or perhaps, would you like to discuss in more detail whether your occasional interference of Kaito-san’s dreams, whisking his consciousness out of it, constitutes a breach of contract or not?)
(Fngghhh…… A- Alright already…… I JUST HAVE TO PREPARE ALL THAT, RIGHT!!!?)
(Yes. Well then, I’ll leave that to you.)
Yes, the reason why Makina is obediently listening to Shallow Vernal this time is because Shallow Vernal has found out that she often interferes with Kaito’s dreams and interacts with him as Makina.
Although she had prepared measures in place, such as making it impossible for Kaito to remember the events in his dreams…… She eventually got found out, and so Makina could only agree to the additional request in a resigned voice.
Of course, the natural consequence of this would be the sudden appearance of Mt Fuji in Hydra Kingdom, which would undoubtedly cause immense damage to Laguna and Lilia’s stomachs but……
<Afterword>
Airhead God : [Add Mt Fuji to the ryokan’s options.]
Mad God : [Huh!?]
Serious-senpai : [For Makina to seriously be swung around like that, as expected of Airhead God…… And just as usual, the stomachache warriors are exposed to the aftermath.]
