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Chapter 120: Slowly, A Stroll Around The Mansion

Translator: LynneSuzuran

A little while after my physical measurement, our house welcomed a guest. Nah, it was only Taiga-san, though.
Kaa-san seemed to tease me by saying that he came here to see me, using the pretext of arranging the program of our wedding. Uhm, earth to Kaa-san?
No, well, I was also glad to see Taiga-san after quite a while. However, Taiga-san is a feudal lord, right? He has work to do, and yet…

“Seiren-sama, it’s been awhile.”
“Taiga-san, it’s been awhile!”

My complaint completely vanished as soon as I saw Taiga-san’s face. I unconsciously clung to his arm, but this alone should be fine, right? Well, I was also quite a calculating guy.
Haha, as expected, Taiga-san’s arms were strongly-built, after all. I didn’t say anything ridiculous, yup.
Nonetheless, Taiga-san’s visit today was to discuss about the wedding, right? For the wedding, we’d be riding on a carriage from the Shiiya territory, forming a kind of parade as we enter the territory of Shikino, then we’d hold the ceremony in Taiga-san’s residence.
After that, it seemed that we’d be making things merry using the pretext of the party that should be called as “wedding reception” by the standard of the other world. Well, the God of Sun also loves things to be lively, so that can be the best celebration, too.
So, I don’t really get to participate or my participation is unnecessary in such a thing. After all, during time like that, the bride is truthfully only a spectacle to behold. Nah, it’s fine since I won’t have to think about complicated things, though.

“Aah, I’m sorry, Seiren-sama. I actually still want to talk with you a little more, but I have to attend a meeting to discuss about the arrangement.”
“Is that so? I’m sorry.”

In response to Taiga-san’s remarks as he looked troubled, I let go of his arm in a panic. Aah, but after that, I tried my best to add more to my words.

“When the meeting is finished, would you like to take a stroll around the garden?”
“Eh?”

Eh, why are you that surprised? Could it be that there hasn’t been that much invitation that I initiated?
However, Taiga-san quickly smiled happily, and deeply nodded.

“Yeah, let’s go together.”
“Y-yes… T-then, I’ll be waiting for you…”

Since Taiga-san’s smile was way too dazzling, I quickly went back to my room and lied down while cramming my face on the sofa. Oriza-san said, “Fight, Seiren-sama!” for some reason. Could it be that my face turned bright red?

“Yeah, your face is bright red, including the nape of your neck, Seiren-sama. Didn’t you notice it?”
“Kh, aaaa!!”

I reflexively jumped up at Oriza-san’s answer. Or rather, if I turned bright red up to the nape of my neck, then there was no meaning to hide my face.

“Well, well, Seiren-sama. Please calm down. Also, Oriza-san, you’re teasing her too much.”
“I’m sorry-. After all, it’s not something new for these two, right?”

Oriza-san only shrugged her shoulders at Alica-san who brewed the tea. Is it really that usual for us? Well, it can’t be helped in my case, but as for Taiga-san………well, I can’t deny it, huh?

“Taiga-san, aah, that was why he remained single until now, huh…?”
“On the contrary, he might react like that since he was always a single man.”

Well, it might be as Alica-san said. In this case, I’m not sure which comes first, and I think Taiga-san himself might not be sure about it, too.[1. Between (1)The fact that Taiga was always single and (2)Taiga’s face also easily turns bright red  Seiren isn’t sure if (1) causes (2) or (2) causes (1).]

“Seiren-sama. Shall we head to the garden?”

A little bit after lunch, it seemed like today’s meeting was over. Taiga-san went to pick me up at my room. Nah, I was the one who invited you so I thought I should be the one to pick you up, though.

“Isn’t it natural for me to be the one to pick you up?”

Since we went to have lunch together, I tried asking him about it and such was his response. No, well, I was so happy for some reason and could only answer, “Ah, yes…” Afterwards, in contrast to Tou-san’s weird smile, I saw Kaa-san with smiles all over her whole face and also Saryuu, don’t look this way too much.
Then, I suddenly noticed my own position. It was becoming so natural for me to be together with my maids. As expected since the situation had escalated to the point I’d have a date around the mansion, they asked me while taking that into consideration.

“Seiren-sama, what about us-?”
“Ah, sorry. It’s fine for you to follow me, but can you keep some distance from me?”
“Yes, understood.”
“It’s all right, we won’t disturb your date.”
“Bwah!”

The last one who spouted out wasn’t me. It was Taiga-san. Anyway, since Oriza-san and Alica-san, and also Minoa-san who was having a day off today would be following me to the Shikino residence, he had to get used to it.

“…Taiga-san, please do your best to get used to it.”
“I’ll do my best…”

Taiga-san nodded as he was having cold sweat, now then, how long would it take for him to get used to this?

Thus, Taiga-san and I took a walk around the vast residence. We also passed by the place where the carriage was waiting during that summer night, but when I looked at it during daytime at the beginning of spring like this, it was just an ordinary small meadow. However, the walking path continued to spread wider, so I could understand how the small carriage could enter this path.
Speaking of which, that was the first time Taiga-san learned that I was a man until last spring.

“…For some reason, it feels weird.”
“Is that so?”

In response to the words I managed to voice from my mouth, Taiga-san took 2-3 steps forward before he suddenly stopped. That face of his that turned around seemed like there was a question mark engraved on it.

“Taiga-san, you know, right? That I lived as a man for 18 years in another world. Still, look at this.”

In front of him, I tried to spin around. The comfy long skirt that had become so natural for me to use also spread around in accordance to my movement.

“I’ve completely become a woman. I don’t think that it is weird for me to be close to Taiga-san, and I can say that I’ll be your wife as if it is natural.”
“That would be the case. Seiren-sama was born as a female in this world, and you returned as a female, too. If you think that you were only returning to your original state, then there’s nothing weird with that.”
“I wonder if it works like that?”

I wonder if Taiga-san’s words contain some truth?
I was certainly a girl when I was born. However, I was thrown into another world just one month after that, and I became a male.
When I returned here, I returned to my original gender as how I was born, and so it was natural that I got used to it quickly, huh?
It was my own matter, but I still couldn’t completely understand it. And soon it’d be one year since I went back here, good grief.

“Even so, the 18 years experience doesn’t just disappear like that. You’re a feudal lord’s daughter, but I think that you understand the commoners’ feelings well. Even much more than I who have lived longer than you.”

Taiga-san gave me such surprising words. No, well, it has only been a year since I returned to being a feudal lord’s daughter. Before that, I was raised as an orphan in an institution for 18 years, so rather than the thought of rich people, I understand the thought of poor people more.

“The experience of living in another world has nurtured Seiren-sama’s heart. It’s also thanks to my uncle who is in the other world right now, though.”
“Aah, the orphanage director. Yes, surely.”

But, that’s right. The one who had been living with the prejudice of an orphan and a poor person longer than me would be the orphanage director, Taiga-san’s uncle, and I was raised like so by that person.
The 18 years that the orphanage director had spent to raise me won’t just disappear like that even from now on. That alone is certain.