Kusunoki Konomi (1)

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“Yes, the invitation letter was safe. Above all,”

I reported the series of events to Win when we returned to the car, and he gave comments while holding the wheel.

What we get from Charlotte Oliver’s room are the invitation letter, accessories and dresses.

Charlotte has an “Ojou-sama” dress, which must have been tailored for when she is invited to parties or meetings.

……Being the main character of an Otome Game, there is bound to be some sort of event she is invited to, depending on the route.

It is a bright violet dress with plenty of laces, a flower-like necklace, and a ring, which will look great when worn by Charlotte.

It’s purpose will be fulfilled and there will be harvests.

――However,

“No, it’s too dusty…”

A cotton dust is on the dress.

I picked it up with my finger and opened the window, letting it fly in the wind.

It is natural.

We searched all over the room, from the desk drawer to the bookshelf, the gap in the closet, and under the bed, all to look for the letter.

In the end, we suffered from Charlotte’s poor cleaning.

I even put my cheeks on the floor and looked under the furniture, so my hair may be tangled up.

Eileen also seems to be feeling the unpleasant discomfort as she has been relentlessly combing her hair from the start.

“Once we returned home, let’s get ready for a bath.”

“Of course!”

I completely understand Eileen’s outburst of anger.

Immediately, Win stepped on the accelerator, and the dust on our bangs fluttered.

ー

Returning to the mansion, the servants have already prepared a bath and change of clothes.

I’m thankful.

I soak up to my shoulders in the huge stone bath with plenty of hot water, and gave a long sigh.

My voice echoes in the bathhouse.

“A spacious bath is nice after all.”

I have taken a bath in this mansion many times, but I never get tired of it. This is different from the tiny bath at home.

The tub is spacious enough to stretch my legs out, and the wasteful hot water constantly overflows into the drainage pits.

It’s not made of cypress trees, but it is too luxurious.

I look at the ceiling through the foggy steam while feeling satisfied enough to sing a song. When,

“I don’t understand.”

“Hmm?”

I hear a voice coming from amidst the steam.

There is only one person other than me in the bathroom. So naturally, it’s Eileen.

What does she not understand? She gave me the answer to that question without asking.

“Isn’t this the normal size of a bathroom? Or is something like this unusual?”

“Apologize to all those who live in modern homes in Japan.”

Do you think that everyone lived in Kusatsu or Arima?

(TN: Kusatsu or Arima are known for their hot-spring resorts)

Take it back.

But Eileen is not concerned about my request for an apology.

She kept repeating the unfamiliar word “Japan.”

“Surely, the origin of Konomi is quite a countryside location. I have never heard of the country’s name.”

Of course, Eileen would not know.

For people in this world, modern Japan would be like a different world—

However, she seems to be interested precisely because she is unfamiliar to it.

As she moved slowly in the bathtub, she said,

“Speaking of which, I haven’t heard about you in detail.”

“About me?”

She nodded, and lick her lips with a sinful looking smile. Who are you imitating?

“Yeah. If you think about it, you just peeked into my private life.”

I don’t want you to say it like I have a perverted hobby.

“But, I really don’t mean to peek into your life. It just force majeure.”

“In the end, it’s the same, and that’s unfair. Konomi, what kind of country is Japan? Explain it to me.”

“Like what……?”

I’m at a loss for words.

Aside from telling her about me, Kusunoki Konomi, I have particularly no resistance.

But when trying to explain about Japan, there are some difficulties.

Governance belongs to the people… I don’t want to hear what she has to say about that.

Well then, what should I talk about? When I was thinking that―― Eileen laughed scornfully with a -fuun-.

“Well, since it is the country of origin of konomi, it surely is a loose country where people who are somehow missing lived?”

“Let’s wash your head.”

“Listen to me when I talk!”

I pretend to not hear her.

She has long hair which extends to half of her back. It looks well-groomed and feels good to the touch, but it takes time and effort to wash it.

As I put my shampoo-ed fingers and moved it through them, I thought about Japan.

“The level of civilization there, won’t it be like, if this country developed for about a century more or so? For example, the number of households with cars is higher, and the cars themselves are smaller, more fuel-efficient, and are of more than one type. Many…”

Modern financial economy, information theory and communication standards, environmental issues, etc.

Let’s talk about this and that appropriately.

All of this is, however, only a small amount of knowledge that I, as a hopeless student, knows――

But even so, for the people of this world, modern Japanese culture will sound like a fantasy.

And as expected, Eileen thinks the same.

Suddenly, my back is covered with hot water.

When I looked back, Eileen, who is with her mouth in the shape of an 口 shows her palm to me, telling me to stop.

(TN: 口 is kanji for mouth)

I guess the hot water she poured on my back was something she fetched on her own.

“You’re lying. I’ve never heard of such a super-developed country. And if there really is a country that has developed so much, I should at the very least, know of just the name of the country.”

Eileen’s reaction is just as I guessed, then she leaks a strange laugh.

Her laugh looks like one someone would have when they found out that someone is lying.

“She’s talking big, I knew it.” She said, with her elbow on the bathtub and her hand supporting her chin.

“First of all, if Konomi is a student from a country like that, shouldn’t you be a little smarter?”

Well, that country has a lot of different ways to entertain someone after all.

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