The Falsely Executed Marquis’ Daughter Wants to Live Peacefully with Fluffy God

Katariona Receives a Small Sword from her Master.

TL: This chapter is a little long.

About a week after I started attending the academy, I was stopped by Tojurou-san one day after school.

It was when Chris and I were about to go back to the townhouse.

Tomorrow is my day off, so Chris is planning to come and stay at the townhouse tonight.

“‘Tomorrow’s your day off, right? The both of you need to come to the Hinoshima embassy.”

“What? Ah! Don’t tell me you’re asking me out on a date?”

Chris made fun of Tojurou-san.

“Idiot! Of course not! I’ve got something for you.”

“Something you want to give me? ─ What is it?”

Tojurou-san placed his hand on his chin as if thinking for a moment.

“You can find out more about it by visiting …… tomorrow.”

◇◇◇ 

“What do you think he wants to give us?” 

In the evening, when Chris and I were having a girls’ night out in bed, the topic of tomorrow came up.

“I’m not sure. But I’m looking forward to going to the Hinoshima embassy. Won’t this be your first time?”

Chris was happily fluttering her legs.

“That’s right. I haven’t had a chance to go there since Kikuno-sama always came to visit us.”

The embassy is an off-limits place, so we can’t just waltz in and visit.

Tomorrow we will probably be able to enter the embassy since Tojurou-san has invited us to come.

Leon’s tail was wagging on his pillow.

“You guys need to get some rest. It’s getting late. We’re going to the Hinoshima embassy tomorrow, aren’t we?”

“I knew it. Fluffy-kun still sleeps with Rio, doesn’t he?”

“I promised Rio that we would always be together.”

Chris grabbed Leon’s swaying tail and chuckled.

“Is that really the best you can do?”

“What do you mean?”

He easily took back his tail from Chris’s hand.

“Well, you know. Fluffy-kun, put your hand on your chest and think about it.”

Chris patted her pillow and crawled under the covers.

“Good night, Rio. Fluffy-kun.”

“Good night, Chris.”

Leon tilted his head and put his paw on his chest. With this act in sight, I crawled under the covers.

” Good night, Leon.”

Leon nodded his head. When I opened my eyes and glanced at Leon, I saw that he was still resting his paw on his chest.

 The next day, we left the townhouse after breakfast to visit the Hinoshima embassy.

The embassy was built near the royal palace, so it was a bit far from the townhouse. I asked my brother yesterday to send a carriage for me.

It is not the social season now, so Father is not at the townhouse. My brother is making his debut in the social world, so my father has given him the authority to act as acting head of the family. Since he is the law in the townhouse, he was given permission to use the carriage.

When we got off the carriage in front of the gate, Kikuno-sama greeted us with a curtsy.

“Welcome today, Your Highness. Princess Christina, Lady Katariona.”

Calling us by our honorific titles, it appeared that we had been welcomed as guests of honor.

We were expecting Tojurou-san to be at the gate, welcoming us with a raised hand and a “hello”.

We answered with a short curtsy.

“Thank you for inviting me here today.”

“Thank you for the ambassador’s personal welcome, Kikuno-sama. Is Tojurou on his way?”

To Chris’s question, Kikuno-sama smiled and nodded, “Yes.”

“I’ll show you. This way, please.”

We left the carriage to the stable keeper stationed at the embassy and followed Kikuno-sama.

The outer appearance of the embassy was in the style of the Kingdom of Findalia.

Kikuno-sama urged us to enter the embassy, and the inside resembled the entrance of a nobleman’s house in the Kingdom of Findalia.

“It’s not the Hinoshima style on the outside or inside, is it?”

“Yes. Many people from this country visit here. However, the residential area where we live is Hinoshima-style.”

Kikuno-sama answered all my questions as she led the way.

As I enter the reception room, I observed Tojurou-san sitting on the sofa, drinking tea.

“Hello. You’re both here.”

When Chris and I entered the reception room, he raised his hand and gave us his usual blunt greeting.

“By the way, Leon. You don’t have to hide yourself anymore.”

AAfter closing the door to the reception room, Kikuno-sama spoke to my side.

“Did you notice?”

“I’m still a former god.”

Leon appeared quickly. He was in his cat form.

As it was my first visit to the embassy, I had asked him to disguise himself, just in case.

“Please have a seat.”

The reception room was decorated in the Findalian style. The floor was solid oak and the wallpaper was a soft ivory. The curtains and sofa are royal blue. The contrast between warm and cool colors matched each other well.

“It’s a beautiful interior. Did you choose it, Kikuno-sama?”

“No, I did not. Laura and I talked about it and put it together. She’s very good at this kind of stuff.”

Come to think of it, the interior design is somewhat similar to the one used in the Sandorion store.

The interior of the embassy was designed under the supervision of Laura, Kikuno-sama continued.

She took out a tea set from the corner cabinet in the reception room and began to prepare it. She must be preparing to serve tea.

“Kikuno-sama, would you like me to help you?”

“Yurie is a guest, so please sit down.”

I was restrained by a smiling face.

I had completely forgotten that I was invited as a guest.

With this group of people, it felt as if I was in the townhouse.

“Please come in. We don’t usually serve green tea, but Yurie and the others are special.”

The cup was a handleless Hinoshima pottery. The cup smelled different from traditional tea.

“It arrived yesterday from Hinoshima. It’s the finest gyokuro.”

“You’re offering gyokuro? Chris and Yurie are still children. Isn’t it bitter?”

Tojurou-san has known us since we were seven years old. Is that the reason why he still treats us like children?

“How rude! In Hinoshima, the age of maturity is twelve, right? We are already thirteen years old. We’ll be adults in two years.”

Chris countered.

I looked into the cup and saw that it was a darker shade of green than green tea.

“Hikoshiro’s perception of gyokuro is wrong. Gyokuro is rather sweet and mellow. Now, enjoy the aroma first.”

Kikuno-sama suggested, as I reached for the cup.

The aroma wafting from the cup smelled really nice.

I took a sip of the gyokuro. The aroma of the leaves and the mellowness spread freely in my mouth.

“It’s fragrant, mellow, and delicious. It has a good aroma and is mild and delicious.”

Chris also had a look of surprise on her face after drinking the gyokuro.

“It’s sweeter and mellower than green tea. Tojurou is such a liar.”

“Excuse me!?” Tojurou-san exclaimed, sitting up.

Leon, now in his boyish form, was drinking the gyokuro and munching on some sweets for tea.

“Mmm! These sweets taste like the ones from the cafe we went to the other day.”

The sweets in Leon’s hand are raw sweets. (TL: Type of japanese confectionary)

“Ahh. That cafe we visited the other day that was run by someone from Hinoshima.”

“Oh my? Did you go to Ayano’s shop?”

Are the sweets for tea from Ayano-san’s store? As expected of a foodie like Leon.

“By the way, you and Ayano-san are friends, aren’t you, Kikuno-sama?”

I told her about the time we visited Ayano’s cafe the other day.

“Oh my. I’m sorry that Ayano was so rough with you. Ayano is just like that, so no offense intended. ……”

“Tojurou’s nickname is ‘Hiko’, am I right?”

Chris teased Torjurou with a smile.

Chris made fun of Torjuro, but Torjuro seemed to have choked on the tea he was drinking.

“Geh–! Ayano that guy.”

“So did she call me ‘Kikunon’ as well?”

“Yes. It’s a cute nickname, no?”

But I saw a flame burning behind Kikuno-sama.

Is she angry? The fact that she was smiling made it even scarier.

“You’re right. It’s cute, isn’t it? But I told her not to do that in front of the customers. Fufufu. This is worth a good thrashing ・・・・don’t you think.”

A chill ran down my spine.

Kikuno-sama’s punishment…… That’s scary just thinking about it. 

“That girl Ayano. I’ve never managed to offend Kikuno even once or twice. I don’t know how she managed to stay safe until now.”

Leon shuddered as he said this.

No matter what happens in the future, must not offend Kikuno-sama. That’s what I thought.

Tojurou-san crossed his arms.

“Did you meet Sotaro Sotaro as well, by any chance?”

“Yes. I heard he was Ayano’s husband. He was a mild-mannered man.”

“Then this will be quick. Take this first.”

Tojurou-san held out two small swords, one in front of each of us.

Chris and I accepted the small swords he held out to us. It was about half the length of Tojurou-san’s big sword. There was a small handle attached to the scabbard. The small handle is for the sword.

“It’s light.”

Chris twirled the small sword around and looked at it. If you ask me, it’s much lighter than a wooden sword.

“What kind of metal did you use to make this sword?”

“Mithril. I forged it from an ingot the green dragon was carrying.”

　Mithril is a material that works well with magic. It is said to be stronger than steel and as light as a feather.

“Can I try to pull it out?”

I asked, to which Tojurou-san nodded.

When I pulled out the blade, it shone silver. Unlike the swords of this country, it is single-edged and the blade is slightly warped. (a katakana)

“It’s beautiful.”

“Don’t touch the blade. You will lose your fingers in an instant.”

I was about to touch the blade but pulled my hand back in a panic.

That was close! Even if my finger was detached, I could use sacred magic to attach it, but I don’t like the pain.

“Mithril has the properties of silver. It works well against the undead.”

It is said that silver contains holy power. They use silver as a weapon to defeat the undead.

“Do you like it?”

“Yes, it’s a beautiful sword.”

 Tojurou-san smiled with satisfaction.

“The scabbard is not particularly fancy.”

The hilt and scabbard are a simple black.

“It’s better to keep a low profile since you’ll be using it in actual combat.”

“At any rate, both of you are fully certified. This little sword is a gift from me, your master.”

My brother is already a fully certified master, and two years ago, Tojurou-san gave him a sword. His sword was forged from an ingot and was made of the same material as the one used in this sword. 

” Like Yuri’s sword, this small sword was forged by Sotaro. If it needs maintenance, have it done at Sotaro’s store. He has the blessing of the god of smithing. He’s a top-notch blacksmith.”

That’s all you planned to tell us?

“So, the reason you called us here today was to give us this?”

“That’s right.”

Chris and I stood up and thanked Tojurou-san.

” “Thank you very much, Master!” “

Perhaps embarrassed by being repeatedly thanked by his disciples, Tojurou-san fiddled with his hair knot.”