On a bright afternoon, memo in hand, I made my way through the Town of Yugfressia. My objective was to offer my formal greetings and gratitude to the final person on my list: Princess Ouka Blossom, one of the Seven Princesses who served as the World King's executives.
I consulted the map on my memo as I searched for her residence. This visit had been arranged a few days prior, when Lilliwood contacted me regarding Blossom's availability. At that time, Blossom had specifically requested that I come to her home.
As I understood it, Blossom was a cherry blossom spirit born from the trees Lilliwood had created based on those from my world—Japan. Whether due to her origin or some other factor, she supposedly possessed an extraordinary interest in Japanese culture.
Her home reflected this obsession. Lilliwood mentioned that Blossom had invested a great deal of time and effort into building a Japanese-style house. Naturally, she likely wanted me—a person from the actual country of origin—to see it.
I was quite curious about a Japanese-style house in this world, and since I was the one seeking to express my thanks, I agreed that it was only right for me to make the trip. Thus, I found myself heading toward her home.
According to my notes, I was getting close. Lilliwood had said it was built on slightly elevated ground and would be easy to find once I was in the vicinity. Then, I saw it.
Situated on a spot that wasn't quite a hill but was higher than the surrounding area stood a large, sprawling house. It featured a tiled roof and was built in a purely traditional Japanese style.
The structure gave the impression of an old samurai residence, though seeing golden dolphin-like ornaments on the roof felt a bit strange. It was as if the design had been mixed with that of a castle, and the wall surrounding the property felt similarly fortress-like. Then again, it was undeniably Japanese in style, and since I wasn't an expert on the architectural nuances between samurai manors and castles, I decided not to let it bother me.
I approached the front gate, but I didn't see a doorbell. Instead, there was a single wooden clapper hanging by the entrance. Its placement was a bit odd for a traditional alarm, but I assumed it was meant to be used to announce guests.
I wondered if a single clap would even be heard inside such a massive mansion, but I decided to try it anyway. I took the clapper in hand and rang it. With a heavy, resonant sound, the gate slowly began to creak open.
"Welcome! Master Miyama!"
"Whoa!?"
A booming voice erupted from behind the opening gate, making me jump. Startled, I turned my gaze toward the source and saw a woman standing there. She was quite tall, likely in the upper 160-centimeter range, with bluish-black hair tied back in a ponytail. A cherry blossom branch was tucked into her hair like a decorative pin.
She wore a pink kimono-style top paired with a black hakama. Slung across her back was a massive sword—an odachi that looked easily over two meters long. Her slender frame, tall stature, and dignified aura gave her the striking presence of a female warrior.
"Ah, my apologies. I have startled you. The anticipation of meeting you was so great that I could not sit still. I have been waiting here at the gate since five this morning; perhaps my eagerness has clouded my manners."
"N-no... I'm sorry for shouting. I'm Kaito Miyama. It's nice to meet you."
"I am called Blossom. I look forward to our acquaintance!"
I had to pause. Had I misheard her? Did she just say she had been waiting at the gate since five in the morning? It was one in the afternoon right now.
"It's a pleasure. Um, Blossom? Our appointment was... at two, wasn't it?"
"Yes, that is correct."
"So, you've really been out here since five AM?"
"Indeed! I was unable to wait a moment longer! However, since I was the one who extended the invitation, it would have been unrefined of me to change the time and come to you. Thus, I simply stood my ground and waited!"
"I... I see."
"Oh, where are my manners? We cannot continue our conversation while standing here! Come, Master Miyama, this way! I shall guide you to a room with a view of the entire garden. You must see the grounds I am so proud of!"
"Ah, okay."
She was... intense. The conversation kept moving forward at a breakneck pace even if I barely said a word. Her momentum was incredible. Now I understood why Rosmiel had said it took her a long time to get used to this woman. Blossom was exactly the type of person Rosmiel would struggle to handle.
"I am truly delighted to have a person from the actual otherworld view my garden. Oh, is green tea acceptable for you, Master Miyama? I have purchased every beverage I could think of just in case."
"Green tea is fine, thank you."
"Would you prefer something sweet to accompany it? I have things like rice crackers as well, but please tell me if you have a specific preference!"
"Um, well... something sweet would be nice."
"Understood! I managed to procure some excellent traditional sweets for today. They say the maker is incredibly particular about the water they use..."
She was a high-energy, proactive person who was constantly leaning in. However, since she was clearly putting her all into being a hospitable host, there was no doubt she was a good person, just as Camellia had said.
Serious-senpai: "You know, it's actually quite rare to have characters who are this pushy and just drag the lead around, isn't it?"
???: "I suppose Megiddo fits that description. Though since Kaito hasn't seen her true form yet, he probably doesn't even realize she's a woman..."