Volume 6 - Chapter 45 – The Day of Departure (2/2)
“Ooh?”
To Jin who reflexively let out a voice, Elsa said,
“Hehe, astonished? When I first saw this, I was suprised too.”
Before his eyes spread a purplish red carpet. On a second look, it was a field of flowers.
“I wanted to have lunch here, so I had us travel this way.”
Apparently many years ago during a trip, they came across this place by chance and the scenery was etched into their memories.
“And, I wanted to show Jin-kun this scenery. So I pestered Rai-nii and we took this route.”
“Oh, so that’s how it was. Uh-huh, it’s a pretty scene. Thanks, Elsa.”
“Mm. I’m glad you like it.”
A little farther there was an open space, and the carriages were stopped.
“Alright, let’s have lunch.”
Under unusually good-tempered Mine’s leadership the lunch preparations advanced.
She spread a rug right next to the field of flowers and said,
“Here you go, everyone.”
They ate slices of hard bread similar to French bread and warmed soup.
The same bread was also grilled a little, with thinly-sliced meat that was also grilled on top of it.
Salad that was prepared in the morning.
Teee.
Even though it was the first day of travel, the important preliminary preparation seemed to already have been done.
“Mm, tasty.”
Reinhardt also gave his compliments.
“Mine, this is, delicious.”
“Thank you very much.”
The soup was seasoned to Elsa’s liking, so of course she found the taste delicious as she ate it.
This time even Mine didn’t give rise to any problems, so the lunch ended peacefully.
“The next town is less than an hour away, so let’s take it a bit easy.”
Reinhardt said while gazing at the flower field.
“Mm, agreed.”
Elsa had rushed into the field of flowers in delight.
Jin also tried getting near the flower field. He sat down there, plucked a single flower and held it in front of his eyes.
The small purplish red petals formed a single group. One-by-one the small petals very much resembled the petals of a soy bean plant.
“It’s similar to a Chinese milk vetch.”
There had been a small field behind the orphanage, and in the spring seeds of Chinese milk vetches were sown to fertilize it.
For the first time in a while Jin reminisced about his previous world.
He felt as if he could hear the young children’s merry voices and see them bustle about.
“Father?”
Maybe Reiko had noticed him acting unusual, as before Jin knew it she had sat down next to him and was examining his expression.
“Is something the matter?”
“…No, it’s nothing. I was just reminiscing a bit about the past.
“The past, is it. Do you mean the world you previously lived in, Father?”
“Mh-hm.”
Jin nodded and Reiko’s expression turned to one of concern,
“Um, Father, do you find it a bother that I summoned you here?”
She asked looking nervous. Jin shook his head,
“No, not at all. If you had not ‘summoned’ me I’d be dead, so I’m grateful, there’s no way I’d be bothered by it.”
He answered and Reiko was relieved,
“That’s good then. It’s just that Father looked lonely.”
She said and softly held Jin’s left hand.
＊ ＊ ＊
Jin and Reiko had sat there like that for a while when he suddenly thought of something and picked several of the Chinese milk vetches(?) that were at his feet and began to make something.
“Father?”
Reiko looked doubtfully at that, and Jin one by one picked up, twisted, and weaved the Chinese milk vetches(?) then,
“Alright, it’s finished.”
Jin had made a flower wreath. Then,
“Here you go, Reiko.”
He placed it on Reiko’s head.
“F-Father?”
Reiko was confused by Jin suddenly placing the flower wreath he made on her head, and Jin said to her,
“Ah, it’s cute, Reiko.”
Jin said with a smile that was just a little lonesome yet kind.
“Father…”
Reiko looked a little downwards and,
“Thank you very much.”
She smiled and thanked Jin.
“Ah, what’s, that?”
Turning towards the voice, there stood Elsa who had come back at some point. She was holding the hem of her skirt up just a little, and it held the flowers she had picked.
“Hey, Elsa. Oh, you came back with some different flowers.”
In addition the Chinese milk vetches(?) there were white and yellow flowers among other ones mixed together.
Jin saw it and,
“Elsa, do you want a flower wreath too?”
He tried asking and Elsa immediately nodded. Jin then at once began making another one.
He made the wreath mostly out of Chinese milk vetches(?), and as an accent in just one spot he arranged some of the yellow flowers Elsa had picked.
“It’s done. Here you go, Elsa.”
Jin then put it on Elsa’s head. Elsa blushed just a bit and,
“Thank…you.”
She embarassedly thanked Jin.
The rays of the spring sun shone warmly, it was the early afternoon.