Tap, tap~
Just then, Ayaka arrived. After walking over and seeing the Shogun, the young girl bowed to her, then looked toward Chizuru and Miko.
"Shogun-sama, Guuji Yae."
She greeted them.
"My, it's Ayaka... A pleasure, a pleasure. What brings you here?"
Upon seeing the young girl, Miko smiled and asked.
"Well, I've already heard the whole story from Miss Hitomi. And of course, congratulations to Shogun-sama on winning the final round of the Test of Courage."
Holding her folding fan as usual, Ayaka answered Miko's question before looking toward the Shogun and congratulating her.
"Mm..."
Hearing this, the Shogun merely nodded lightly and did not say anything else. There was no longer any need for polite formalities between her and the young girl. They both understood each other.
"I presume you must be Miss Chizuru, whom Miss Hitomi mentioned?"
Ayaka looked toward Chizuru, who was also looking at her, and greeted her politely.
"...Yes. May I ask who you are...?"
Chizuru was somewhat confused about the young girl's identity... but judging from her bearing alone, she was clearly no ordinary person.
"I am Kamisato Ayaka, the second-in-command of the Yashiro Commission. You may not know me, but I learned about your situation from Miss Hitomi, so I wanted to offer some help."
Ayaka first gave the woman before her a courteous greeting, then explained in her elegant voice.
"...Help? Um..."
Chizuru froze, somewhat overwhelmed that the other party would actually offer to help her.
"Yes. So that Miss Chizuru can also experience the meaning of spending time together with us, I suggested to my brother earlier that we hold a more proper 'Mikawa Flower Festival' together."
Ayaka answered.
"Oh? Hehe, now that's interesting... Not bad at all."
Miko smiled with interest upon hearing this.
"Miss Kamisato..."
Chizuru looked at Ayaka in surprise.
"Actually, my brother had already thought of this from the beginning. This is simply putting the idea formally into practice. Perhaps the little youkai alone don't have enough youkai power to accomplish it, but if everyone works together, there definitely won't be a problem."
Ayaka smiled at her.
Besides, it was her brother who had told her about this afterward...
"It seems Guuji Yae is interested as well. What about you, Shogun-sama~?"
Ayaka blinked at her.
"Haa... It sounds quite good. More importantly, as long as you like it, that's enough."
Seeing her blink, the Shogun's lips curved indulgently as she spoke to her gently.
"Mm///..."
Ayaka's face reddened at once. She nodded softly, then turned back toward Chizuru.
"Everyone will be coming to help this time, and my brother will be coming too... We'll gather some materials together afterward. We should probably be able to finish setting up the venue by tonight, and we're planning to hold the festival this evening as well. Miss Chizuru, please look forward to it."
Ayaka briefly explained the timing of this "Mikawa Flower Festival."
"...Hehe, then we'll leave it to you."
Miko smiled.
"...Thank you."
Chizuru thanked them somewhat guiltily.
"There's no need to be polite."
Ayaka shook her head, indicating that it was nothing.
"By the way, you're planning to use this area afterward, right?"
Remembering something, Miko deliberately asked. If they were going to set up a festival venue, then this was the perfect location.
"That's the plan."
Ayaka nodded.
"Perfect. Then we won't take up space here. It's almost noon, and I'm getting a little hungry myself. Shogun, why don't we go to Hanamizaka and grab something to eat before coming back?"
Miko took the initiative to invite her.
"Haa... Aren't you going to help?"
The Shogun asked her speechlessly.
"Oh, I already said we'd come back after eating. We won't have any strength to work if we don't eat first, will we~?"
Miko waved a hand.
"..."
She hesitated for a moment before looking toward Ayaka. Somehow, leaving at a time like this felt somewhat inappropriate.
"Please leave everything here to the Yashiro Commission. There is no need for Shogun-sama to help."
Ayaka instantly understood what her gaze meant and said this to her.
"Are you sure?"
She asked with concern.
"Mm... Please don't worry."
Ayaka obediently nodded.
"...All right, then."
She finally gave in.
'Shogun, I'm a little hungry too.'
At that moment, Ei also spoke up and urged her along.
All right...
She sighed... then bid Ayaka farewell and left together with Miko beside her, following the road south toward Hanamizaka.
During this time, Ayaka also summoned the workers responsible for constructing the venue, and together with the companions who had arrived, they began setting everything up. Chizuru joined them to help as well.
...
Downstream along Hanamizaka's commercial street was a popular restaurant called Uyuu Restaurant. Not only did it offer a wide variety of dishes, the food also tasted quite good, while both its atmosphere and service were excellent. It remained profitable and bustling throughout the year and could be considered one of the most famous restaurants in the area.
"Do you eat here often?"
Looking at the signboard bearing the words "Uyuu Restaurant," the Shogun could not help asking Miko.
"More or less. I come here for fried tofu from time to time, so I suppose I'm a regular. If there's anything you want to eat, your big sister can recommend something for you, you know?"
Miko habitually tapped her chin and raised an eyebrow at her.
"...I'm not hungry right now."
She gave an answer that completely ruined the mood.
"Haa, Shogun~ Sometimes accompanying someone while they eat is also a sign of emotional intelligence, you know~? At least have a little?"
Miko sighed helplessly. As expected of Ei's biological daughter. She really was exactly like her mother in this respect.
"Haa... Fine. I'll eat with you."
The Shogun had not truly intended to refuse to accompany her. What she had just said was merely a remark. After all, Miko was also her big sister, and refusing to accompany her would seem impolite. Haa.
"Hehe... That's more like it. Oh... and Ei, why don't you come out now? Are you hiding from me, or are you simply too lazy to move?"
Miko now addressed Ei inside the Plane of Euthymia.
'...Haa.'
Ei let out a breath. Then, obediently enough, she transformed into a stream of violet motes of light that flowed out from the Shogun's body and gathered beside her into a human form. Once the light faded, she appeared in her usual gentian-patterned kimono.
Hum~
At the same time, the Shogun's Raiden Shogun attire vanished as well, transforming into the plain-colored kimono she normally wore outside, paired with white stockings. Her hair also fell loose down her back, with only a small knot tied near the end.
"Now that's better. We're family, after all."
Miko smiled in satisfaction.
"You really..."
Ei had no way to deal with her. Just like that, both mother and daughter had been gathered together by Miko. The three of them then entered Uyuu Restaurant and casually chose seats at the counter. Naturally, the Shogun sat in the middle, with Miko on her left and Ei on her right.
Fortunately, they had arrived early and there were not many customers yet, so Ei's appearance did not cause too much of a commotion. Even so, the patrons present were still shocked. After all, Shogun-sama had come here to eat. The voices of those who had been chatting gradually grew quieter, as none of them wanted to disturb her.
The three sat extremely close together, with less than a meter between them. After sitting down, Ei habitually let one wide kimono sleeve drape before her. Her stocking-clad legs rested elegantly, one foot placed on the chair's footrest while the tip of the other lightly touched the floor in a ladylike posture, her knees drawn slightly together.
The Shogun was more casual. After sitting down, she simply smoothed her skirt slightly, crossed her white-stockinged feet around the legs of the chair, then rested both arms on the counter and laid her head down on them.
"Shogun... don't be impolite."
Seeing her child sitting like this, Ei sighed inwardly, raised a hand to stroke her head, and gently reminded her.
"...Mm."
The Shogun made a cute, muffled sound, then obediently straightened up and stopped lying against the counter.
"Look at you. They're only here to eat. Why do you have to be so strict with the child?"
Seeing this, Miko complained to Ei.
"That's precisely why I don't want her spending too much time with you... Sooner or later, she'll pick up bad habits."
Ei discreetly shot her a sidelong glance and retorted.
"Now that's prejudice... Shogun, look at her. She's still as rigid as ever."
Miko shrugged.
"..."
The Shogun felt somewhat aggrieved inside. Why did the two of you always have to drag me into your bickering? Being stuck between you is really uncomfortable~!