Having exchanged promises with Titania, I left the Phoenix Shrine.
I passed back through the torii gate and returned to Tenrei Shrine. There, Fuuka and Nagisa were already hard at work dismantling the yagura.
As Nagisa raised her hands, a magic circle materialized in the air. The pillars and beams of the structure detached themselves without a sound; it was like watching a film of kumiko-zaiku being played in reverse.
The lumber floated gracefully into the sky. Fuuka leaped through the air with nimble, light-footed movements, drawing the wood into her storage magic tool as she passed.
"That’s a beautiful spell," I muttered involuntarily.
To perform a task this delicate with magic would normally require several different spells to be cast simultaneously. Yet, she was managing the entire process with a single, elegant technique.
"Master Orun, welcome back. You were quite fast," Nagisa said, smiling at me while maintaining perfect control over her spell formula.
"Yeah. Something came up that I need to take care of before I dive into the investigation of the Principles of Magic."
"Something you need to do?"
"I’ll tell you more about it later."
When I gave her that casual reply, Nagisa tilted her head for a moment, but she didn’t press the issue. Instead, she turned her focus back to her work.
A few moments later, the final beam glided through the air, and Fuuka tucked it away into her storage magic tool with a practiced flick of her wrist.
"...Done," Fuuka said, letting out a soft breath.
Nagisa beamed at her. "Big Sis Fuuka, thank you so much for the help! We finished in record time thanks to you."
I watched their interaction, sensing a shift in the atmosphere around the shrine precincts. Now that the yagura was gone, it felt as though the last lingering echoes of the festival had finally faded away.
"You're welcome. All that moving around made me hungry, though."
"Ahaha! You really have become quite the glutton, Big Sis."
"...I have not."
"Oh, come on, you definitely have!"
Fuuka averted her eyes slightly at Nagisa’s teasing. I found myself smiling at the heartwarming sight, but Fuuka caught my gaze and immediately shot me a huffy look.
"Orun, were you just thinking something rude?"
"Me? No, not at all."
"That face says you were definitely thinking something rude."
She glared at me with narrowed eyes, prompting a wry smile from me.
"It’s not like that. Seeing you act like your usual self just made me feel a bit more relaxed, that's all."
"............"
Usually, Fuuka would back down after a comment like that, but today she seemed unusually preoccupied. I wondered if she felt like she had to maintain a certain image in front of her "little sister," although, given Nagisa's reaction, I suspected it was already far too late to hide her appetite.
After leaving Tenrei Shrine, we returned to the ryokan where we were staying.
"Ah, welcome back, Orun, Fuuka, Nagisa-chan."
Shion, who had been sitting on the engawa admiring the birds and flowers, called out to us. Bathed in the soft morning light, she looked incredibly serene; it was a scene so picturesque I felt I could watch it forever. She held a teacup in her hands, a thin wisp of white steam curling into the air.
"We’re back, Shion. What are you up to?"
"Nothing in particular. The people at the ryokan brewed this for me and suggested I enjoy it while looking at the garden. It’s... very peaceful, doing this."
As Shion spoke in that gentle voice, Fuuka muttered, "I get that," looking at the engawa as if she wanted to go sit right next to her.
Nagisa smiled at the sight. "Breakfast should be ready by now. Everyone, let’s head inside."
I followed Nagisa, Shion, and Fuuka toward the dining room. As we approached, a savory, mouth-watering aroma drifted toward us, tickling my nose.
"...That smells incredible."
At my involuntary comment, Fuuka gave a proud little nod, as if she were the one who had cooked it.
We slid the shoji open and stepped inside to find several low tables arranged neatly, each laden with a beautiful spread. There were bowls of white rice, steaming miso soup, pickles, tamagoyaki, and grilled fish. Seeing such a carefully prepared meal immediately whetted my appetite.
Right on cue, Luna, Oliver, and Haruto-san entered the room.
"It looks delicious today too!" Luna cried, running over with sparkling eyes.
Oliver looked over the table with a curious expression. "No matter how many times I see this, it truly is a magnificent sight."
"I'm starving! Let's dig in!" Haruto-san added in his usual boisterous tone, instantly brightening the mood.
We each took our seats and pressed our hands together.
""Itadakimasu.""
Our voices overlapped, and our breakfast began. As they picked up their chopsticks, the expressions on Haruto-san and Fuuka's faces softened into looks of pure contentment.
"...This really hits the spot. This is the taste I remember," Haruto-san murmured.
Fuuka nodded in agreement. "Yeah. I haven't had this in years, but it’s still just as good."
To them, this was the nostalgic flavor of home. With every bite, a sense of relief seemed to wash over them.
On the other hand, for those of us who were visiting Kyokutou for the first time, these past three days had served as a crash course in the etiquette of Washoku.
"At first, I thought this rice didn't have much flavor, but the more you chew, the sweeter it gets. It’s quite mysterious," Luna noted with admiration.
Shion smiled contentedly as she flaked her grilled fish with her chopsticks. "Yeah. I’m getting much better at deboning this than I was yesterday."
Oliver took a sip of his miso soup and nodded with a look of profound seriousness. "I'm still not entirely used to it... but the flavor seems to seep right into the soul."
By this third day, I too had finally learned to slow down and savor the natural sweetness of the white rice and the comforting warmth of the soup. In the midst of these days of constant conflict, the simple luxury of sharing a peaceful meal with my companions struck a deep chord in my heart.
But as I was savoring the moment—
"...Guh."
A low groan came from right beside me.
I turned to see Oliver engaged in a desperate struggle with his grilled fish, his chopsticks clearly not cooperating.
"What's the matter, Oliver?"
"I... Is it just me, or is this incredibly difficult? Every time I think I’ve got a grip on it, it slips away."
He adjusted his grip with a grim expression and tried again, only for the fish to slide mockingly out of his reach.
"Fufu..."
Luna watched him with a heartwarming smile, while Shion let her shoulders shake with quiet laughter. "Oliver, you're surprisingly clumsy, aren't you?"
"No, I think you people are just learning way too fast! How are you already so good at using those things?"
Oliver furrowed his brows and put even more strength into his grip on the chopsticks.
"...Um, would you like me to bring you a spoon and fork?" Nagisa offered.
Oliver’s face went blank for a second, then he let out a heavy sigh.
"...Thank you. But no, I’m okay. I’ll master these chopsticks in no time, just you watch."
A laugh spilled out of me as I watched him dive back into the challenge. The air in the room grew light and convivial, and the breakfast table felt warmer than ever.