Volume 2Chapter 12

Chapter 12 – Homecoming and Souvenirs

The day to go back to the royal capital came at last. Going to the port town, practicing magic with Lucien: I spent a genuinely worthwhile stretch of time at the ducal domain. We leave early this morning, so I got up early, finished getting ready, and now we’re all gathered in front of the house.

“Father, Mother, I shall be going.”

“Yes. Apply yourself properly. I shall look forward to seeing how you have grown when we come to the royal capital.”

“Lucien, mind you are not a nuisance to anybody. Take care of your health and work hard.”

Ugh… Living apart from your parents at that age has got to be lonely, and sad. This is where you cry. A parting between parent and child is where you cry. I was standing there with tears gathering when everybody turned puzzled faces on me.

“Why is Leon on the point of tears? Have you got something in your eye? If so you had better go and wash it out at once.”

And then Lucien said that. No, no. I was in tears over the sight of a family that has to live apart! Wait, none of you are crying? Isn’t this the tearful farewell scene?

“Excuse me, Lord Lucien. Are you not lonely?”

“At what?”

At what, he says. At living apart from your parents!

“At being separated from Lord Christophe and Lady Sophia. Are you not lonely?”

“Hm? I am not lonely. What is Leon talking about? Going to the capital at this age is a matter of course, and besides, my father and mother will both be coming to the capital before long, for the party that celebrates the Spring Moon.”

…Wait, will they? So it isn’t going to be a long time before he sees them again? And what is the Spring Moon?

“More to the point, I am very much looking forward to it! At the Royal Academy I may make friends, and it is thoroughly exciting. At parties I have never had much chance to talk with children of my own age. One talks on the day, and then there is no seeing them again for a long while.”

…So he’s looking forward to it. Give me back my tears! And tell me what the Spring Moon is!

“You are looking forward to it. By the way, what is the Spring Moon?”

Lucien’s face registered considerable astonishment at that.

“Y-you do not know?”

“No. This is the first I have heard of it.”

Presumably it’s something like a calendar, and I don’t know this world’s calendar. Whether by luck or the lack of it, I have got this far without ever once asking. I had even wondered whether there might not be a calendar at all.

“The Spring Moon, the Summer Moon, the Autumn Moon and the Winter Moon make one year, and it goes round and round like that. Surely?”

“I see. Then how many days are there in the Spring Moon?”

“Eighteen weeks. Ninety days, obviously! Do you truly not know?”

“It has not spread among commoners.”

“…Has it not. It is not something worth setting on the Royal Academy’s examination, so unless one sets out to learn it one would not know…”

Lucien looks shaken. Things too obvious among nobles to appear on an exam and yet not known among commoners: that’s where the biggest holes in my knowledge are.

“Grandfather! Leon does not know the calendar…”

Lucien ran over to Lord Richard, who was talking to a valet near the carriage, and reported it. And Lord Richard looks considerably astonished as well. So it really is that basic. I’m glad I asked now.

“Then we shall talk about it in the carriage. If we do not leave soon we shall not reach the town we are to stay in tonight, so we depart.”

“…Certainly. Then, Father, Mother, this time I really shall be going.”

“Yes. Off you go.”

“Leon, get into the carriage as well.”

“Yes. Lord Christophe, Lady Sophia, thank you for taking even me into your house on this occasion. I look forward to the day we meet again.”

“Yes, come again whenever you like. I look forward to meeting in the capital as well.”

“Look after Lucien for us. It would please me if you were friends.”

So we made our farewells to everybody and got into the carriage. Once it started moving and we were out of the residence’s grounds, Lucien pressed in on me.

“Leon, do you truly not know? When you know so many things that are far more difficult!”

My knowledge really is lopsided. Because I know an odd assortment of things, people assume I must already know the elementary ones and never tell me: it happens all the time.

“There has never been an occasion to learn it.”

I had heard people talk about going to the ducal domain at the end of autumn, or the examination being at the end of winter, but it never occurred to me that those were the calendar itself. I thought they were simply naming the season.

“Is that so… It is a shock. Then you had better learn it now. There will be occasions to use it at the Royal Academy.”

“Very well. Then I shall teach you.”

“Thank you. I would be grateful.”

To gather up what Lord Richard taught me: a year is four months, from the Spring Moon to the Winter Moon; one month is eighteen weeks, ninety days. So a year is three hundred and sixty days. The year seems to turn over at the first week of the Spring Moon, which would be April in Japan.

“Then the party celebrating the Spring Moon that Lord Lucien spoke of earlier, is that a celebration of the new year?”

“No, the party for the Spring Moon carries more the sense of celebrating spring’s arrival. In this country the new year is not much celebrated at all.”

“…I see.”

The seasons have very nearly gone round twice since I was reincarnated, and I had been thinking that there had never been any festival for the new year. There simply isn’t a custom of celebrating it. That is something of a culture shock. And being in that position is exactly why I ended up half worrying that there was no calendar.

They should make a festival for the new year and spread the calendar among commoners while they are at it. This country has one celebration, the Founding Festival in the middle of winter, and beyond that no events whatever. There is room for a good many more. Japan took in events from abroad as well: it started at New Year and ran on through Setsubun and Valentine’s Day, the Doll Festival, White Day, Tanabata, Halloween, Christmas. And a great many others besides.

“Is there anything else about the calendar I should keep in mind?”

“Let me see… the beginning of spring means the first week of the Spring Moon. The end of winter means the eighteenth week of the Winter Moon. Those are used often, so you had better remember them. The same holds for the Summer Moon and the Autumn Moon.”

So that’s what those meant. I’d been taking them for the season, plainly… There was no way of working that out.

“Then if one says the beginning of autumn, that means the first week of the Autumn Moon?”

“It does. If you have what we have discussed, you should not be inconvenienced. If any question comes up again, ask me at once.”

“Thank you.”

So the carriage went along while I got a piece of new knowledge into my head. The return’s by the same road as the way out, though, so the views and the towns went past without much to make them new. The one difference was that the deputy Morgan was gone and a guest room had been prepared for me. Not much time had passed since I spoke to Lord Richard, so I was a little surprised the matter had been settled already.

After that the journey went along without incident, and several days later we arrived safely at the ducal residence in the royal capital. It was late at night by then, so I stayed the night and went to sleep in the bed in the usual guest room.

Then the next morning. I ate breakfast and decided to set off home at once. Lucien came to see me off. Everybody else has work piled up and they’re busy with it. Being away from the capital for days on end really does cost them.

“Leon, is the next time we meet the examination?”

“No. I come to the central district to teach Her Highness magic, so I think we’ll see each other fairly soon. The lessons are once a week.”

There were no valets or guards within earshot, so I answered without formal speech. Lucien must have told them to withdraw.

“That is true, so it is. Then I shall look forward to your next visit to the house.”

“Yeah, so am I. Here’s to more of the same.”

“Of course.”

We waved each other off, both smiling, and I got into the carriage with Roger and went home. Seeing Lucien again is something to look forward to.

Watching the streets go by from the carriage, the feeling of having come back to somewhere I know settles me completely. Going somewhere unknown was enjoyable, though it does tire you out. And being with the ducal household the whole time has its own tension in it. I’ve got a good deal more used to it, though I’m not entirely used to it yet.

I was gazing out of the window and we arrived near my house in no time. After hours in a carriage on the way to the ducal domain, it feels very close.

“Master Leon, we have arrived.”

“Yeah. Thanks for bringing me all this way.”

“Please do not mention it. It is no more than a valet’s duty. Then when next you come to the ducal residence, I shall serve you with everything I have.”

“Thanks. I’ll be at the ducal house soon for Her Highness’s lesson, so I’ll see you then.”

“Certainly. I shall be waiting for Master Leon’s arrival.”

So I parted from Roger, got down from the carriage, and came home for the first time in a while.

“I’m back!”

Going into our house after so long, Marie and Ian were in the restaurant.

“Big Brother! Welcome home!”

“Leon, welcome back.”

Marie jumped up in her delight. Marie, are you that pleased…? Your big brother’s very glad. I put the things I was carrying down on a table and spread both arms to hug her. And Marie went not to me but to the luggage I’d put on the table.

“Big Brother! What’s in the wooden box and the sack? Are they souvenirs?!”

Ugh… Marie likes souvenirs better than her big brother. I’ve lost to a souvenir! I was sinking under that when Mom and Dad came out of the kitchen.

“Leon, welcome home. You weren’t hurt? Are you feeling all right?”

“Leon, welcome back. Did you have a good time?”

“I’m home, both of you. Mom, you worry too much. Not a scratch anywhere and I’m fine, so don’t worry. And it was tremendous fun.”

Hearing that, the two of them let their faces soften and smiled in relief. They had been worried. Having people who worry about you unconditionally is a wonderful thing. Living together is going to stop being possible before long, but I’ll work so that we can live together again one day. My final goal is probably all of us in a comfortable house together.

“That’s good. So what’s inside that luggage? It’s a good size.”

“These are souvenirs for everybody! The wooden box has good things from the sea in it, and the sack has beach sand and shells.”

The box holds seafood packed in ice. The sack holds sand and shells from the beach, plus the small glass bottles I bought in the central district. What I’ve got in mind is arranging the sand and shells inside the bottles neatly, for a souvenir you can stand on a shelf.

“The sack can wait for another day, but tonight I’ll cook what’s in this box for everybody. Oh, but are we open this evening?”

“Leon’s home, so we’ll close for tonight.”

“We will.”

“Thanks! Then I’ll cook once the lunch service is finished.”

I’ll put my back into making it good. I want them to know how good things from the sea are. And their reaction will tell me whether seafood could be accepted by the people of the capital. I bought oil and everything else I needed in the central district on the way, so I’m fully prepared.

“Big Brother’s cooking is good, so I’m looking forward to it!”

“I’d like some too. Is it all right if I stay and eat?”

Marie was thoroughly happy about it, and Ian, watching her, said that with a great deal of envy in it.

“Of course you can eat too, Ian. There’s plenty of everything, so it’s fine.”

“Really?! Leon, thanks!”

Ian is genuinely delighted, and threw in a fist-pump with it.

“You’ve never eaten anything from the sea, though, have you? And you still want it that much?”

“Of course! I’m never going to get another chance at food from the sea. Anybody wants to try something rare, don’t they!”

Well, true enough, a rare thing has value simply for being rare.

“Then let’s leave this for now. The lunch service is about to start.”

“So it is. Oh, that reminds me. Mom! There’s somebody I want to invite to dinner. Is that all right?”

“I don’t mind, but who?”

“Marcel. None of you have met him yet, have you? I’ve wanted to introduce him properly, and I want him to eat some of the seafood. And I told him about going to the ducal domain, so I want to report that I got back safely.”

I’d meant to introduce Marcel to my family, and in the end no occasion for it ever came up. I want it done properly once.

“Marcel. It’s true that Mom and Dad have both been wanting to meet him. He isn’t a man who minds about manners and so on, is he?”

“No! I don’t think he minds about that in the slightest. So can I invite him?”

“Of course. Then, Leon, go over to Marcel’s during the lunch service.”

“Mom, thanks!”

“Marie and Ian, back to getting ready.”

“Yes!”

I put the wooden box down in a corner of the kitchen and left the house for Marcel’s workshop. Home really is enjoyable after a while away, and settling, and it warms something in me. The road I’ve walked a hundred times felt like something special.

I reached Marcel’s workshop and knocked, and Marcel put his head out at once.

“Marcel. It’s been a while.”

“Leon. Back, are you. Not hurt?”

“Not a scratch anywhere. My first journey was tremendous fun.”

“Good.”

At that Marcel’s face broke into a gentle smile. And seeing Marcel like that makes me glad in turn.

“I came today to invite you to dinner at ours. The truth is I brought a lot of seafood back packed in ice as a souvenir. I’m cooking it for dinner tonight, so won’t you come? I wanted to introduce you to my family as well.”

“That’d be a pleasure, but… wouldn’t I be in the way of a family evening?”

“In the way? Nothing of the kind! And Ian is there, the lad who works at the restaurant, so it isn’t only family anyway.”

“Right. Then I’ll impose on you.”

“Really?!”

I’m glad Marcel is coming. It would be good if he and the family got on.

“Yes. What hour should I come at?”

“Let me think… around five in the evening.”

“Understood. I’ll look forward to it.”

“Yes! I’ll cook something extremely good!”

So, having invited Marcel to dinner, I went back home. The lunch service must have just finished, and everybody was clearing up.

“Leon, how was Marcel?”

“He’ll come a little before the evening bell.”

“Oh, good. Then we’ll have to make something good.”

“Yeah. I’ll do my best!”

Then we all ate what was left of the lunch service for our own lunch, rested a while, and it was time to make dinner. I went into the kitchen with my sleeves up. Mom and Dad are helping cook, and Marie and Ian are apparently watching. They’re thoroughly curious about seafood.

First the wooden box onto the counter, and the lid off. The large box holds the iced seafood; the smaller one holds the seasonings I bought in the central district.

“Is that ice? Why is there this much ice?”

Ian said it, puzzled. He’s right. In the depths of winter you can get ice by leaving water standing outside, but it’s only the beginning of winter yet.

“One of the ducal house’s people lent me a magic tool, and I made this ice with it.”

I can’t reveal much about my ability, so that was my answer. Commoners understand a magic tool as roughly a convenient device that nobles use, so in most cases saying magic tool settles it.

“Ah. Magic tools really are handy, aren’t they, if they can even make ice.”

“They are. Makes you envious. And what’s inside the ice is the food from the sea.”

I laid the seafood out one item after another on the big wooden board spread over the counter.

“From this end: yellowtail, horse mackerel, Spanish mackerel, scallops, octopus.”

I was pointing them out one by one as I explained when I caught sight of everybody taking a step back.

“What’s the matter with all of you?”

“L-Leon, what is that?!”

“What do you mean, what is it?”

Ian shouted it as though he were frightened of something, and Mom, Dad and Marie were all shaking their heads violently in agreement.

“Er, what’s the matter with all of you?”

“Th-that, that revolting-shaped one! The one right on the end!”

“The octopus?”

…Right. If you have never seen one, an octopus does look extraordinarily strange. Being frightened of it may be fair enough. True enough, on Earth as well, in countries that don’t eat octopus people were all frightened of it, as I recall.

“The look of this may be revolting, but it tastes good, so it’s all right.”

When I lifted the octopus with both hands, everybody let a little of the tension go, half believing me.

“And that hard-looking one, what’s that? Can you eat it?”

“The hard-looking one, you mean the scallop? Scallops are fine, you eat the inside. You don’t eat the outside.”

“Right. That’s all right then.”

Ian is finally reassured. They’ll have seen fish, since there are river fish, but the rest don’t live in rivers, and being frightened of something you have never seen is only natural. Which makes me think that getting the people of this capital to eat fish and shellfish, when many of them have never even eaten river fish, is a high bar.

In this capital they hardly eat river fish either. Now and then somebody who’s caught fish in the river goes round selling them, and even that you barely see. Meat is completely and utterly the main thing. River fish are for the few fish-lovers who catch their own and eat them.

“So, Leon, how do we cook it?”

Dad’s eyes look brighter than usual. A cook does enjoy having a new ingredient to work with.

“They have to be cut up first, and that part’s difficult, so I’ll do it. They taught me at the port town. Mom, Dad, could you cook the fish once they’re cut? I’ll tell you the recipes.”

“Right you are.”

What to make. There’s no oven here so baked scallops are out. In that case… garlic with salt and pepper in a pan will do. I made sure to buy garlic and pepper in the central district. The horse mackerel can be crumbed and fried and the octopus deep-fried, as before. Spanish mackerel had better be meunière. Meunière is salt, then dusted with flour, then fried well in oil, if I remember. And then butter in after that. Trying one new thing should be all right.

That leaves the yellowtail, and with yellowtail all I can think of is salt-grilled, or the sweet-soy glaze, or simmered with radish. But the glaze and the simmered one are both plainly short of the seasonings. Plain salt-grilled, then.

Right. The frying looks likely to take longest, so let’s start there.

“So, Mom, could you chop the leftover bread up fine with a knife? I want it really fine. As fine as mincing, near enough.”

“That fine?”

“Yeah. I don’t think it’ll work unless it’s fine, so please stick at it.”

“All right.”

“Thanks. And, Dad, I want you to make a sauce. Have we got any of the dried tomatoes in store? I’d like a tomato sauce from those.”

“There should be a little, I think. You don’t need much of it?”

“No. A small amount is fine.”

“Then I’ll make it.”

“Thanks.”

So with Mom and Dad set on, I started cutting up the horse mackerel myself. I worked carefully, trying to recall what Nasser had shown me. Tiring, but not a bad result.

With all the horse mackerel done, I started preparing the octopus. Once enough of the slime was off, I cut it into chunks. Preparing it was harder than I expected and I ended up using body strengthening magic. But it’s done. Nowhere near Nasser, but I have at least succeeded in cutting them up.

“Mom, I want you to put flour on this cut horse mackerel, then dip it in beaten egg, then get breadcrumbs all over it. Can I leave that with you?”

“Of course. And after that you grill it?”

“No. You fry it in a lot of oil. Put oil about halfway up this pot, and when the oil’s hot, put the prepared horse mackerel in. I’ll do the first ones.”

When I explained that, both Mom and Dad went round-eyed.

“Leon, halfway up this pot. I misheard that, didn’t I?”

“You didn’t. You may think it’s a waste, but that oil can be used for other dishes afterward, and more than anything it’s needed for what we’re about to make. I’ll use the oil I bought, so it’s fine.”

“Well, if that’s so…”

“So, Mom, could you get the horse mackerel ready and see to the oil alongside it?”

“All right.”

“Thanks. Dad, how’s the sauce?”

“Just finishing. What next?”

“Then I’d like you to season the octopus with salt and pepper. And once it’s stood a while, the octopus gets flour on it and gets fried too.”

“Understood. I’ll get the seasoning on it for now. How much pepper should I use?”

“Hmm, a bit less than the salt, I’d say.”

“Right. I’ll do my best with it.”

Dad gazed at the pepper with his eyes shining and picked it up as though it might break. Pepper is one of the seasonings a commoner cook dreams about.

“Yeah. Thanks.”

With all sorts of things handed to Mom and Dad, I started cutting up the Spanish mackerel and the yellowtail. Those two are salt-grilled and meunière, so they aren’t much trouble. Cut, seasoned, and into the pan.

While I was at it Dad had finished with the octopus.

“Leon, the octopus is ready. The sauce is done too.”

“Thanks. Then can I ask you for the Spanish mackerel and the yellowtail?”

“Of course. What do I do with these?”

“The Spanish mackerel wants salt on it and a dusting of flour, then into the pan. When it’s coming along, put a little butter in for the flavor and it’s done. The yellowtail is easier: salt on it and grill it, that’s all.”

“Understood. I’ll get it ready.”

“Thanks.”

Dad started seasoning and getting the pan ready for the Spanish mackerel I had cut. A while after that the Spanish mackerel and the yellowtail were all done.

“Leon, are your hands free?”

Mom called me straight away.

“Yeah. I’m free.”

“The oil’s ready. If you tell me what to do I’ll do it, shall I?”

“Then I’ll do a bit of it. After that it’s yours.”

I fried one crumbed horse mackerel and one piece of octopus, and took them out at what I thought was very slightly overdone.

“I want you to fry them like that. I think they’re cooked through, but could you check to be sure? If it’s cooked through and a little tough, that means too long, so I think you can shorten the frying time a bit.”

“All right. Leave it to Mom!”

“Thanks.”

With the frying left to a thoroughly willing Mom, I got on with the last thing, the scallops. Scallops need the meat taken out first. I set about working the meat out of the shells with a cooking knife. This takes a fair amount of strength and a knack, and it’s hard going.

“Leon, can I try that? That looks like something I could manage.”

I was wrestling with the scallops when Ian offered.

“You’ll do it? Thanks. The truth is I was getting fairly tired.”

“I’ll take over. I’ve been watching how you do it, so I think I’ll be fine.”

Ian took the scallops over for me, so in the meantime I minced the garlic and got ready to cook them.

“Leon, they’re all done.”

“Thanks! That was a real help.”

I took the scallops from Ian and patted the moisture off with a clean cloth. I had put Purification on the cloth beforehand. I would hate for anybody to get an upset stomach from bacteria on a cloth.

All that’s left is the cooking, and Mom is frying and Dad is cooking fish, so there’s nowhere to cook the scallops. Dad looks nearly finished, though. Mom still seems to be struggling.

“Dad, are you nearly done there?”

“Just finished this moment. The smell is wonderful; it opens the stomach.”

“Wait a bit longer. Once these are cooked we’re finished.”

“Is that the inside of the hard-looking things? Scallops, was it?”

“That’s it. These get cooked with garlic and salt and pepper.”

“Then Dad will cook those too. Leon, could you take out whatever is ready? Ian and Marcel are coming, so let’s use the dining room.”

“Understood. Then I’ll leave it with you. Ian, Marie, shall we get dinner laid out?”

“Sure.”

“Yes!”

So Marie and Ian and I went through to the dining room to set the table. And at exactly that moment there was a knock at the dining-room door. I hurried over and opened it, and it was Marcel.

“Marcel! Thank you for coming.”

“That’s my line. Thank you for the invitation. That’s a fine smell, though.”

“Yes. It’s finishing right now.”

“Big Brother, who’s that?”

Marie asked it, puzzled, while I was showing Marcel in and talking to him.

“This is somebody who does a great deal for me. His name is Marcel.”

“I’m Marcel. Would you be Leon’s little sister?”

“Yes! I’m Marie!”

“Marie, is it. You’re to call me Marcel.”

Marie thought about that for a moment, and then, taking her time over it, spoke.

“Marcel… Grandpa?”

Marcel heard it and his whole face melted into a grin on the instant. Well, I understand how he feels. Marie, you have a great deal to answer for…

“Yes, that is it exactly! Will you call me Grandpa Marcel?”

“Yes! Grandpa Marcel, I’m glad to know you!”

Marcel, having taken heavy damage from Marie’s beaming smile, gripped himself somewhere around the chest and froze. Marie’s adorableness really does work on anybody. On Marcel’s generation it may be lethal.

“Marcel, I’m Ian. I work at this restaurant. Good to know you.”

Ian made his greeting while keeping an eye on the state of Marcel. At which Marcel came back to reality with a start and turned to face him.

“Forgive me for greeting you late. I’m Marcel. Good to know you.”

“Then, Marcel, I’ll go and get Mom and Dad, so please wait a moment. Marie, show Marcel to a seat.”

“Yes! Grandpa Marcel, please sit here!”

I saw Marcel take the seat Marie offered him, looking delighted about it, and went through to the kitchen. Dad had already started clearing up and Mom seems to have just finished frying. The smell really is wonderful; it opens a hole in you.

“Mom, Dad, Marcel’s here.”

“I noticed. My hands were full so I couldn’t come and greet him. And I’ve just this minute finished the frying.”

“Then shall we carry it through? And I’ll introduce Marcel.”

The three of us carried all the finished dishes through, and when we came into the dining room Marie was in the seat beside Marcel, talking happily. And Marcel’s face as he listened to her was… a sight. Where has the sharp-eyed Marcel who faces a magic tool gone? Marcel likes children, evidently.

“Marcel, my mom and dad.”

I put the plates on the table and introduced them. Marcel stood up from his chair and turned to face them.

“My name is Marcel Roncoli. My apologies for the lateness of my greeting. I am glad to make your acquaintance.”

Mom and Dad froze for a second at how thoroughly formal that was, and then softened into easy smiles and spoke. Between the princess and Lord Frederick of the Royal Guard coming here, both of them are getting used to it by degrees.

“I’m Leon’s mother, Loana. Marcel, it sounds as though you’ve been helping Leon in all sorts of ways, and thank you.”

“Leon’s father, Jean. Leon’s told me all about you, Marcel, and thank you truly for giving him a hand.”

The two of them used the bit of formal speech I had taught them while keeping their usual way of talking. Formal speech really isn’t something you pick up that easily.

“There are things Leon teaches me and things he helps me with as well, so we’re even.”

“If Leon is any use at all then I’m glad. Now, no time like the present, the food will go cold, so let’s have dinner.”

“Quite so. It’s a very fine smell.”

“Isn’t it! These are the ones I fried. Do try them.”

“Then I’ll have those first.”

So the introductions ended in an easy mood and we all took our seats at once. Time to eat, at last.

“Leon, thank you for a wonderful souvenir. Itadakimasu.”

“Itadakimasu!”

We all said it together and each reached for whatever had caught their eye. What shall I have…? The Spanish mackerel meunière first. Whoa, this is dangerous. The moment it goes in your mouth the butter opens out, and then the sweetness of the Spanish mackerel with the salt lifting it. Dusting it with flour gives it a crisp edge as well, and it’s absurdly good.

“This Spanish mackerel is fantastic! Everybody try it!”

I said it out of sheer astonishment at how good it was, and everybody reached for the Spanish mackerel at once. Marie took one mouthful and beamed. Ian took one mouthful and froze with a look of surprise on him.

“Big Brother! This is so good!”

“This is astonishing…”

“It is. To think it could be this good. Sea fish has soft flesh and it’s delicious.”

“And this seasoning is good too.”

Dad and Mom took to it as well, which is a relief. Ian finally came back from being surprised and is on his second mouthful.

“Ian, is it good?”

“It’s unbelievably good. It’s so good it startled me.”

That was all he said, and then Ian settled down to eating nothing but Spanish mackerel. Being this pleased with it makes me glad.

“This one Loana recommends is extremely good as well.”

Marcel said it with the crumbed horse mackerel in his hand and no attempt to hide his astonishment.

“That is crumbed horse mackerel.”

I’ll have some too. Crisp… Mm, that texture is the best of it! And the tomato sauce does suit it.

“The crumbed horse mackerel is the best! That’s Mom and Dad for you.”

“Isn’t it? If I say so myself it came out beautifully. Jean’s sauce suits it too.”

“Big Brother, do I put this on it to eat it?”

“You do. But it’s good with salt on it instead of the sauce, too.”

“Understood!”

Marie answered brightly and ate her crumbed horse mackerel with tomato sauce on it. Marcel, having heard that salt was also good, seems to be trying it with salt this time.

“I like this! It’s crispy and it’s good!”

“It does work with salt… I’ve never eaten anything as good as this in my life.”

“If it suits your taste, Marcel, then I’m glad.”

After that we all traded our verdicts on the dishes and gave ourselves up to the food from the sea. It was the best and most enjoyable dinner.

“Big Brother. All of it was so good!”

“It was. This is the best souvenir there is.”

“It really is. It was extremely good, and making it was fun too.”

“Every one of them was genuinely good.”

“It’s been a long while since I had an evening as enjoyable as this. All of it was as good as anything I’ve eaten.”

To have them that pleased with it makes me glad. I’m glad to be a member of this family. The thought put a smile on my face without my arranging it.

“I’m glad to hear you say so. Thank you, everybody. If I get another chance to go to the sea I’ll buy souvenirs again, so let’s do this again.”

“Yes! Big Brother, you promise.”

Marie answered nearly on top of the sentence. Marie has no defense at all against good food. Everybody has a slightly rueful smile at the sight of her.

“Marie, I promise.”

“Yes!”

So a happy dinner ended. Being with family really does settle me, I thought.

Then the next day. I woke early, so before breakfast I got the other souvenir ready. I bought four of the small bottles, so one is Martine’s souvenir and the other three are for the family. First the sand goes into the bottle, and then the shells and something like a starfish go in on top.

This sort of thing is all about taste. I have the impression they were common in Japan and looked extremely smart, and when I do it the result comes out looking somehow tacky. Is there too much sand?

So, turning the bottles over and resetting the contents any number of times, an hour of trial and error. It finally came out at something I would call a pass. And with them finished I put cork stoppers in the three for the family. Martine’s looked likely to shift about on the journey, so I decided to leave hers unstoppered, to be put right on arrival.

“Mmph. Tired. My shoulders are stiff.”

“Leon, are you awake?”

Something answered my talking to myself and I jumped. I had concentrated too hard to notice Mom coming down.

“Morning, Mom. I was making souvenirs for everybody. There’s nothing to do with them but stand them somewhere, but aren’t they pretty?”

“Oh, they are. They’re very pretty.”

“This is sand and shells from the beach at the sea.”

“The look of it is nothing like ordinary sand.”

“It isn’t. There’s plenty of sand left, do you want to touch it?”

“Yes… it’s silky. That feels lovely.”

“Doesn’t it! It’s thoroughly habit-forming.”

I was touching the sand with Mom when Dad and Marie came into the living room.

“Dad, Marie, morning.”

“Morning. What are you doing?”

“The other souvenir. Sand and shells from the sea. I put them in bottles nicely, so stand it in your room.”

“It’s very pretty. Leon, thank you.”

“Yeah! One for Marie too.”

“What is this, it’s so pretty!”

Marie took the bottle and gazed at the contents with her eyes shining.

“If you tip it the inside shifts about, so be careful with it.”

“Yes! Is this mine to keep?”

“Of course. It’s a souvenir.”

“Big Brother, thank you!”

Marie threw her arms around me. Marie is too adorable… This will keep me going for a good while.

“Then Mom’s goes in the living room. Marie’s in the bedroom, shall we? And Jean’s in the kitchen, how about that? Then you can see one wherever you are.”

“I’ll do that! Then I’m taking mine upstairs!”

And Marie went out of the living room carrying her bottle as though it were precious.

Then, several days later, I was at the palace for Martine’s lesson. I’m back in the capital, so we started again straight away. Except that when I got to the palace it wasn’t a lesson; it turned into a tea party with just Martine and me.

“Martine, was it all right to skip the lesson?”

“Yes, because I wanted to hear about it. Leon went to the sea, did you not? I have never been.”

“Right. You’ve never been outside the capital at all, have you?”

“I have not. As a rule the royal family does not leave the capital.”

Royalty comes with a lot of strings attached… You get the life of splendor, and you don’t get much freedom.

“So how was the sea? The sea is the very first place I want to go one day. I hear it is enormously wide and beautiful.”

“Yeah. The sea goes on and on until you can’t see the end of it, and it really was beautiful. Look at the whole of it and it’s blue. The blue of the sky and the blue of the sea spreading out forever, and if you look at it a long time it gets a bit frightening as well. You feel how vast nature is.”

“Is that so… I should like to see it once.”

Martine said it gazing off into the distance, longing for it and a little forlorn with it. I wanted to give her something to be pleased about, so I took out the souvenir.

“Martine, I brought you a souvenir. Will you take it? It’s nothing much…”

I put the bottle on the table as I said it. I set the contents right earlier, so it’s perfect.

“It is so pretty! Leon, what is this?”

“Sand and shells from the beach by the sea. Put them in a bottle like this and stand it somewhere, and isn’t it lovely?”

“It is very lovely. If I stand it in my room I can feel the sea whenever I like.”

The smile she gave saying it had none of that forlornness left in it.

“I’m glad you like it.”

“It is the best souvenir there is. So the sea has sand as beautiful as this.”

“Yeah. I hope you get to go someday.”

Travel may be difficult in Martine’s position, but some official duty may take her toward the coast. If we could go together then, that would be good…

“Yes… And what did you do besides going to the sea?”

“Ate a lot of food from the sea, I suppose. Fish and shellfish dishes. Have you ever had any?”

“I ate the thing called dried fish once, long ago, I believe.”

So dried fish did come into the capital after all. Going by Martine’s face she may not have liked it much. She has an ambiguous expression on.

“You didn’t like it?”

“I do not remember the taste well, but I do remember thinking that I did not need any more of it…”

“Ha. Right. Go to the port town and there’s fresh seafood, and cooked fresh it’s wonderful.”

“Truly…?”

“Of course. Once ice makers spread, transporting it to the capital should become possible before long. Try it then.”

When that happens I’ll pass my recipes to the palace cooks for her. They’ll certainly make them better than I do.

“Is that so! Then I shall look forward to it. Let us have a tea party where the two of us enjoy food from the sea.”

“That tea party sounds tremendous.”

“Then it is a promise.”

“Of course.”

So Martine and I laughed together. Talking with Martine really is enjoyable.

“That reminds me, Leon, there was something I wanted to say. The Founding Festival is coming, is it not? Will you not go with me?”

“The Founding Festival, that’s the one in the middle of winter, right?”

“It is. The ninth week of the Winter Moon is the Founding Festival. A celebration once a year.”

The first year I never got to the Founding Festival, because I was reincarnated after it had finished. And the next year I went to the commoners’ festival. At the commoners’ festival there are far more stalls out than usual, and then there is the whole-cabbage stew the day is known for. A whole cabbage goes into a big pot, and it is seasoned with meat and salt and herbs. Because it’s a festival they are lavish with the seasoning, so my memory of it is that it was extremely good. And we shared it out among the family and Nikola and the others, which made it fun.

“Do they hold the Founding Festival in the central district too?”

“Of course they do. The Founding Festival is held all over the country. A stage is set up in the plaza and the palace orchestra plays. And there is a sword dance by the knights. A great many stalls are set out, and every year it is tremendous.”

An orchestra and a sword dance! The central district sounds enjoyable too. The Founding Festival runs a week, so going to the central district’s festival first and spending the rest at the festival near home should work.

“That sounds tremendous. Is it all right for me to come with you? Or rather, are you allowed out of the palace at festival time?”

“Of course! As far as the inside of the central district, I am told it is all right so long as proper guards come. I have been several times.”

“Right. Then let’s go together.”

“Yes, something to look forward to!”

So I spent that day at an enjoyable tea party with Martine and left the palace. The Founding Festival is something to look forward to.