The conversation progressed on its own and I ended up playing hide and seek with Shinobu.
Rather than playing hide-and-seek, I was just looking for Shinobu.
"I understand. I guess you can do it. But you can't do it in the attic. It's just a place where people can normally go." (Yuna)
"I understand. I'm going to hide so that no one can find me. But Yuna might be able to do the same thing as me, so I'm going to have her put earplugs in and blindfold her." (Shinobu)
I was not a ninja, so I couldn't do that.
As expected, even I didn't have the skill to know where someone was by sound.
In the first place, I didn't need such skills.
"Also, everyone should never talk to Yuna." (Shinobu)
"Please rest assured that I will look at it fairly." (Sakura)
Sakura offered.
Ugh, that's annoying.
In order to finish quickly, I followed everyone's instructions and put on a blindfold and earplugs.
It was pitch black and I couldn't hear any sound.
I didn't move and waited patiently.
After a while, the blindfold and earplugs were removed.
"Is it done?" (Yuna)
"Yes, the sand in the hourglass has fallen." (Sakura)
It's really troublesome.
Why did I have to play hide and seek at this age?
Besides, what fun was it to search for Shinobu?
"Yuna-san, please do your best." (Noa)
Everyone looked at me with eyes full of expectation.
"Yeah, I'll do my best." (Yuna)
I used my detection skill to finish it quickly.
Even if it was called foul, it would be impossible to find Shinobu who was good at hiding.
Frankly speaking, I had no chance of winning.
"This way." (Yuna)
"Yuna-san, do you know?" (Noa)
"Well." (Yuna)
When I started walking, everyone followed.
I went down the stairs and moved to the second floor.
I walked down the hallway and stopped in front of a room.
It's this room.
I opened the sliding door.
Well, how's the reaction?
Wall?
I touched the wall.
The reaction was beyond the wall, that was, outside.
I moved away from the wall and moved to a nearby window. I removed the lock and opened the window.
Then I looked to the side.
I met Shinobu's eyes.
Shinobu was stuck to the wall.
"How did you know I was here?" (Shinobu)
"Somehow." (Yuna)
"For some reason, there's no way you can find me. It hasn't been that long since you started looking for it. Sakura-sama, what's going on?" (Shinobu)
"Yuna-sama came straight to this room." (Sakura)
"Is it Kumayuru or Kumakyu? Or is it magic?" (Shinobu)
"No, it didn't feel like she was talking to Kumayuru-sama and Kumakyu-sama. After taking off the blindfold and ear plugs, she came straight to this room without worrying and opened the window." (Sakura)
"Yuna, tell me the truth." (Shinobu)
I didn't mind saying that I could tell where people were, but it would break my rule of relying on Kumayuru and Kumakyu.
So, I ...
"Secret" (Yuna)
I said that.
"One more time." (Shinobu)
"It’s too much trouble, no." (Yuna)
"Even with this, I was told that Shinobu-chan is good at hiding."
"Yeah, she was good at it. The window was locked."
"There's a little trick to that."
"It's a thief's skill."
"That's not true! Anyway, let's have another fight." (Shinobu)
Since Shinobu wouldn't back down, I had no choice but to go out with each other just one more time.
"Kumayuru, Kumakyu, I need you to cover your mouth." (Shinobu)
Shinobu took out a long cloth and began covering Kumayuru and Kumakyu's mouths.
"It's okay now." (Shinobu)
Kumayuru and Kumakyu look a little displeased.
"Once this battle is over, I'll remove it. Sakura-sama, Fina and the others must not be removed either." (Shinobu)
Sakura and the others nodded.
Then, just like the first time, I covered my eyes and ears. Shinobu hid and I waited until the sand in the hourglass fell.
When the sand in the hourglass fell, the blindfold and earplugs were removed.
"Yuna-san, are you okay?" (Noa)
I started walking to find Shinobu.
"Yuna-sama, do you already know where Shinobu is?" (Sakura)
Well, I could figure it out by using my detection skills.
Knowing how many people were in this mansion and knowing that Fina and the others were here, Shinobu's natural reaction was to be alone.
It's a violation, but I would end it quickly.
This time too, I was going straight to the direction that would get a reaction.
"Yuna-san, how do you know?" (Noa)
"Your ears are covered, so you can't hear anything, right?" (Misa)
"And Shinobu walks so that her footsteps don't make any noise." (Sakura)
Noa, Misa, and Sakura asked.
"Kumayuru-chan and Kumakyu-chan aren't talking." (Shuri)
Shuri said while touching Kumayuru's mouth.
"Fina, do you know how Yuna-san knows where Shinobu is?" (Noa)
"Um...I don't know." (Fina)
Did I tell Fina the detection skill, or how to know where monsters and people were?
I felt like I had talked about it before.
Maybe I misled her?
"I told Shinobu, but keep it a secret."
And this time too, I was able to easily find Shinobu who was hiding.
She offered a rematch, but I politely declined.
Because as long as I cheated, I would win, and if I didn't cheat, I couldn't win. Not only could I not win, but I would never be able to find one.
Well, in that case, just leave it as is.
"Next time, Yuna will hide. I will find it." (Shinobu)
"I’m fine with Shinobu winning," I insisted. Sakura warned Shinobu, who was persistent.
"Shinobu, don't cause trouble to Yuna-sama." (Sakura)
"Uh, I understand." (Shinobu)
"Also, don't hide in dangerous places. What will you do if Fina and the others try to imitate you?" (Sakura)
"I’m sorry." (Shinobu)
By the way, this time she was stuck to the ceiling. Normally we couldn't hide outside the window or on the ceiling.
Well, a lot of things happened, but the hide-and-seek game was over, and Noa and the others were all getting along well and were sleeping snuggled up against Kumayuru and Kumakyu, probably because they were tired of playing.
"How was Sakura?" (Yuna)
"She seemed like she was having fun. Lately, she has been smiling a lot, but she don't have any friends around her age." (Shinobu)
"Is that so?" (Yuna)
"She may be of royal blood, but she started working as a shrine maiden at a young age." (Shinobu)
Bringing Noa and the others was the right decision.
"Also, Noa and Misa took great care of Sakura-sama. They played with Kumayuru and Kumakyu together. Of course, they also had fun talking to Fina and Shuri." (Shinobu)
That's right.
"Well, we mainly talked about Yuna." (Shinobu)
What?
"What were you talking about?" (Yuna)
"That's a secret." (Shinobu)
Everyone wasn't saying anything strange, right?
I looked at Sakura and the others who were sleeping comfortably.
She had been through a lot of brutal things lately, so she felt calm.
After all, peace was the best.
Then, when Noa and the others wake up, I prepared dinner.
Everyone tried to cook, but there were two former daughters of the royal family, two noble daughters, one fox, one ninja, and Shuri who was still young.
Basically, the only people left in charge are Fina and Shinobu.
Fina and I prepared the meals, and everyone played with Kumayuru and Kumakyu.
Then, the meal was over, and after the meal, we ate the fruit we picked at Targui for dessert.
"This fruit is delicious." (Kagari)
Kagari-san was eating a banana.
It might indeed be rare in Land of Harmoni.
I had never seen it in Crimonia either.
"I want to eat, but I’m too full to eat."
"Me too" (Noa)
"Yuna-neechan, it’s painful." (Shuri)
Everyone was lying on the tatami.
"Eating too much is not good." (Yuna)
"Because it was delicious."
"Yes. Everything was delicious." (Noa)
Even if it was delicious, it was not good to eat too much.
"Yuna-san, Fina, I'm sorry. I made you clean up." (Noa)
"Don't worry about it. Besides, Shinobu-san helped me too." (Fina)
Noa and the others were lying down because they were too full to move, so Fina, myself, and Shinobu washed the dishes.
After finishing our meal, we started to relax.
Noa was looking out the window.
"The lake at night is beautiful." (Noa)
Illuminated by moonlight, the scenery was different from that seen during the day.
Misa, Shuri, Fina, and Sakura were also looking outside.
"It's even more amazing to see it while soaking in a hot spring." (Shinobu)
That's certainly true.
After taking a break after dinner, we headed to the hot springs.
Free-flowing hot springs.
There was always clean hot water flowing.
"Take off your clothes here." (Yuna)
Shuri, who had come once, taught Noa and Misa.
You could tell by looking at the changing room, but maybe they were at the age where they wanted an explanation.
Once everyone was naked, we left the changing room and headed to the hot springs.
Shuri tried to enter the hot spring right away, but Fina stopped her and told her to wash her body.
Shuri reluctantly followed Fina.
Noa and Misa saw this and, as older sisters, did not want to enter the room without washing.
Sakura and Shinobu were washing themselves before being warned.
Then, Kagari-san, who came with them, poured some hot water, and entered the hot spring.
"Oh, Kagari-neechan. No." (Shuri)
"Concubine was in the room all day, so it's not dirty. And there's hot water for you to use." (Kagari)
"Is that so?"
Well, as long as you're not moving or sweating, maybe a shower of hot water was fine.
Everyone washed their bodies as they pleased and took a bath in the hot springs.
Kumayuru and Kumakyu, who had turned into cubs, were washed away by everyone and seemed to be having a hard time.
Now, perhaps tired from being washed, I rested my head on the edge of the hot spring, relaxing and looking outside.
On both sides of Kumayuru and Kumakyu, everyone was soaking in the hot water and looking outside.
"It's beautiful."
"The sea view from Mileela town was beautiful, but this view is also beautiful." (Noa)
"Mileela is a town that has connections to this country, right?" (Sakura)
"Yesterday, we were in Mileela." (Noa)
Noa answered Sakura's question.
"I heard it takes many days by boat. It's a strange door to be able to get here in an instant." (Sakura)
"I want it too." (Shinobu)
"I can't give it to you, and even if I could, I wouldn't give it to you." (Yuna)
"That’s terrible." (Shinobu)
Seeing Shinobu messing around, everyone around laughed.
"I would also like to go to Fina's town." (Sakura)
"That's right. If Sakura has time, I'll take you there." (Yuna)
"Is it okay?" (Sakura)
I told her before that I would take her with me, so I did just that.
"But it's a secret." (Yuna)
"Yuna, what about me?" (Shinobu)
"Please stay at home." (Yuna)
"No, she needs an escort." (Shinobu)
"I'm here, and if you need me, ask Kagari-san." (Yuna)
"Concubine?" (Shinobu)
"Kagari-san has common sense and will protect my secrets." (Yuna)
"I'll keep my secret too." (Shinobu)
"Shinobu, I don't know what will you do in a place you don't know about." (Yuna)
"That’s terrible!" (Shinobu)
Also, everyone around laughed.
Well, the actual problem. Despite her appearance, Kagari-san was the most trustworthy.
However, the problem was that she was just like me: lazy.
"So, Yuna-onee-sama, what are you going to do tomorrow?" (Misa)
"I'm thinking of looking around the city of Land of Harmoni. I think Noa and the others will be surprised because the cityscape is completely different." (Yuna)
"I'm looking forward to it." (Noa)
"Yes" (Misa)
"In that case, I'll show you around." (Sakura)
After enjoying the hot springs, we laid out our futons and slept side by side.
Kagari-san didn't go back to her room either, she's with us.
Maybe Kagari-san missed people too.
Author's Note
Well, if she uses detection skills, Yuna won't lose.
...
*Thank you to everyone who reports typos.
Please note that some kanji have been revised to match the book, so some may not have been revised.