Chapter 25

Hafuu…… I slept well.

Ara, the carriage is not moving.

「Iris~」

I poke my head through the curtain and call.

「Ah, Koyu-sama. You are awake? You have slept well」

「Seems so. So, are you taking a break now?」

「That’s ri- Eh?’」

Un. I will also get down.

「Don’t overdo it. I will lend you a hand」

I’m sorry. It seems to be slightly high. When I tried to get off, my foot didn’t reach the ground. That’s right. There usually was a stair-like thing. But, Iris doesn’t need it, does she?

━━Returning to the main subject━━

In the bush again…… embarrassing. Does everyone not mind it? Let’s stealthily try asking Iris.

…………

Ara, departing already? Yes, it was a break for that, wasn’t it?

I board the carriage (the simple stairs were properly installed)…… Ara, Iva is in the carriage this time. The opportunity to talk became fewer, but this is a chance.

「How unusual seeing you inside, Iva」

「Iris, outside, request」

「Ara. I wonder why…… right, right, what kind of food does Iva like?」

「All」

N? All?

「Then, your dislikes?」

「Non-edible」

…… Iva…… non-edible things are not to be hated, but not to be eaten……

「Umm. Let’s see, tea you drank today or tea you drank yesterday, which did you like?」

「…… Both……」

「Both?」

「Were tasty」

Is that so? I’m happy. Then, then.

「Which did you like more, yesterday’s dango broth or this morning’s tomato soup?」

「Dango broth? Tomato soup?」

「Umm, dango broth was the miso soup with dumplings and tomato soup was the red vegetable soup」

「Miso soup? What? Red vegetable? Mate?」

Ah, there’s no miso over here? Mate? Is that tomato?

Pocket, rustle, rustle. Cask of miso…… ah, this. Searching through carry-on one-by-one is difficult. Let’s swap it to the cloth.

I take out a cloth and line the vegetables on it.

「Iva, this is Mate?」

I point at the tomato.

「Un. Mate」

I point at potato.

「Then, what is this one called?」

「Teru」

Carrot……

「Kyaro」

Onion……

「Onyo」

Apple……

「Pomu」

Iva steadily gives names while I point.

Un. I generally understand.

「Why? Me?¹」

Ara? Which reminds me……

「Because Iris is busy?」

She’s busy. Yes, it’s my fault.

「So, which soup did you prefer, Iva?」

「…… Dumpling」

Maa, that makes me happy. I would like to make more, but I don’t have enough miso left. I might be able to make it if I obtain soybeans, though.

Ah, that’s right.

「How was the Teru and Pomu dish we had for lunch?」

「Tasty」

「Were you satisfied with the amount?」

「Un」

「I’m glad to hear that. I will make it again, okay?」

「Un」

Ara, Iva is happy? Her expression changed a little bit. How adorable. Come to think of it, how old is Iva?

「Nee, Iva? How old are you?」

「18」

「Ara, younger than my grandchild」

「Grandchild?」

「Right. Granddaughter back in the country. She’s twenty now. She had just married the other day」

「Lonely?」

「I am. But…… it can’t be helped. It pains me, though」

「Can’t be helped?」

「Because I have given up」

「Gave up?」

「Yes. I had no choice, but to give up」

If my body has been already cremated.

「I pray for that child’s happiness」

「Yourself?」

「Me? I’m just trying my best so I can become happy as well」

It’s little sad, but I just show a smile to make me look as bright as possible. Fufu.