Chapter 16: Just a Little I’m Home

Author: Kurohitsuji
Raw: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n2086fk/17/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

My first trip through the sky was comfortable.
A little cold, but the view is so good I don’t care.
The sky is close. When I drop my gaze, I can see the highway below.
I start to feel like I can see the whole world.

And it’s fast. Not even comparable to a coach.
Clouds and scenery stream by at an amazing speed.

Uwah! Amazing! This is so fun!

About thirty minutes out of the capital, I’m back in the town I grew up in.

“Faaast. This is amazing, super convenient.”
“—Suggestion: descending directly into town is dangerous.”
“Ah, okay. Shall I come down before the gate.”

True. I am flying by blasting mana.
I reverse-thrust a little, kill speed, and land slowly.
Man, that was so fun. All hail Ring.
My hair is a mess, though. I’ll tidy it a bit here before I go in.

∞∞∞∞

“…Oh? Look who it is, Ouka? Weren’t you off to the capital?”

I walk to the town gate and the familiar gate-guard uncle’s eyes go round.
Well, I got back a lot faster than coming home the normal way.

“Yes. I just got back. I’m going back over there again, though.”
“That so. I don’t really get it, but… you might as well show your face at the church. The little ones’ll be happy.”
“Of course. See you, then.”
“Ou, take care.”

Now then, shall I show my face at the bakery in front of the church.
I’ve been wanting that bread again.

∞∞∞∞

“Oukaaaaaaa!
You came baaaack!”

Gyuuhhh!

“Gyaaaaah!? Ow ow ow!
Mister, wait, let go! It’ll break, it’ll break!”
“Dear. Please calm down… there!”

Pakaan!
A full swing of a frying pan, dead on the back of the head.

“…Ou, sorry.”

Hit with a frying pan by his wife, the owner comes back to his senses.
That made a pretty good sound just now… is he all right.

“Welcome home, Ouka. That was fast. How was the capital?”
“There were a lot of people. I have to go back over there again soon, though.”
“I see… well, thank goodness you’re safe. You’re going to the church, right? Take this.”

Same as always, with an unconcerned air, he shoves a bag stuffed with bread at me.

“Wa. Thank you very much. Ah, I earned a little over there, so I’ll pay.”
“Aa? Don’t need it, don’t need it. Give it to the Sister.”
“Eh, but.”
“Just go home already and show them a healthy face.”
“…Yes. Thank you very much!”

I’ll take the kindness here, honestly.
I wave big and run to the church with the bag of bread in both arms.

∞∞∞∞

I arrive at the church, which is fine, but. Maybe because it’s been a while, I’m a little nervous.
Hmm. It’s only been a few days apart.

“…. I’m hooome.”
“Oh, welcome home. That was quick.”

I go in, hesitant.
Sister Naria greets me as if nothing were unusual, same as always.

I set the bread bag in the kitchen, knock out a little work, and when I come back to the hall Sister Naria has made tea.
The usual unchanged scene makes me a little happy.
I drink tea, take a breath, and open my mouth again.

“Uh… where should I start. Right, has the letter arrived yet?”
“A letter? No, it hasn’t.”
“Ah. I overtook it… listen, I have to go back over there again.”
“Is that so… and, did you hear the story?”

She asks with a slightly worried smile.
That consideration makes me a little glad.

“Did I hear it, or didn’t I… there was a bit of trouble, and I have to stay over there for a while.”
“Oh, I see… then you won’t have enough for lodging, will you?”

She puts a hand to her cheek, a crease between her brows, a troubled face.
Ah, right. I have to say that too.

“Listen, that’s all right. I earned over there. I thought I’d leave a little here too. Here.”
“Oh, is that so. Thank you, I’ll look after it. So, can you stay here a while?”
“Nah, I have to leave by today.”

I left the inn as-is, and I have to pick up the holster tomorrow.
Besides, I can come back right away.

“Is that so… try not to do anything too reckless, okay?”
“…. I’m not?”
“That’s a lie. You don’t seem hurt, so that’s fine. You cause problems so quickly, Ouka, I worry.”
“U… sorry. I’ll be careful.”

Mumu. How did she know.
It always comes out right away, somehow.

“Then shall I make lunch. Where are the little ones?”
“They should be back soon.”
“Then the usual amount. Copy.”

Let’s knock this out.

∞∞∞∞

I duck into the kitchen and check the food I’d made ahead.
Hmm. They’re using it at a good pace. Passing grade.
Well, I’ll make a little extra.
Before that.

“Ring. I want to try something.
Can you fix mana in the shape of a frying pan?”
“—Possible. Attempting.”

A frying pan the color of the familiar mana-light. Success.

“Yes. Try heating it.”
“—Heating: starting.”

I drip water and check how the heat spreads.
The heat is… ooh, even, no spots. This is good.

“Then make the frying pan bigger.”
“—Attempting.”

The frying pan swells to twice the size.
Whoa. Even this big, it has no weight.
And because it’s made of mana it doesn’t need time to heat, and best of all, it doesn’t need washing.

“Fufufufu… first, lunch. Let’s make fried rice!”

Menus I almost never made before, because of pan size and efficiency, are fully unlocked.
Yikes! This is so fun!

“It doesn’t stick even without oil… this is wonderful!”

Sha, sha, sha.

“Nihihi. Right now I’m the strongest. Ora ora!!”

Sha, sha, sha.

In no time, fried rice for twenty is done.
I return the frying pan to mana once and reconstitute it.
No matter how many ingredients need dry-roasting, I can do them all at once just by changing the pan’s shape.
It’s fun. Laughter wells up.

I like cooking, but the tools are heavy, and making for a lot of people at once has its difficulties.

…Height. Sometimes it isn’t enough.
But mana cookware can be any shape I like. Being short doesn’t matter.
Honestly, it goes insanely fast.

“Ring, next, a stewpot.”
“—Understood: attempting.”

My winning streak continues until there are no uncooked ingredients left.
It’s only things that keep, but I have a sense I overdid it.
Sister Naria scolded me a little, but I have no regrets.

I eat a noisy lunch with the little ones, look over their studies for the first time in a while, and then it’s time to go.

“See you, then. Next time I’ll bring souvenirs.”
“Yes, yes. Take care of yourself.”
“Nn. Later.”

Sister Naria sees me off, and I walk to outside the town gate.
I’m a little reluctant to leave, but… well, I can come back right away.
In the same place as when I arrived, I have Ring make vernier thruster, and I streak off to the capital.