Lorena PoV
"So, the three of us will be exploring to this country (Japan) today, so Katie and Lorena will have free time. I think you'll be fine since you're together, but if something happens, don't hesitate to call me with the one-touch button on your communication device (smartphone)! Don't hesitate about something like this! Even if it's not a big deal if you deal with it right away, it could become a big problem if it's too late. If that happens, you know it's going to be more troublesome for me, right?" (Mitsuha)
Both Katie and I understood the instructions that Mitsuha-sama gave us so persistently and repeatedly that I had lost count of the number of times.
That's why…….
"Yes!" (Kati-Lore)
Katie and I both responded cheerfully.
"So, Mitsuha-sama and the others went out. …now, what should we do?" (Katie)
"Hmm, for now, we're going out too, right? We have plenty of time to do what we can do at the Jah-pan[1] residence while Sabine-sama and Colette go to the academy, so we can do it at that time. After all, as Mitsuha-sama recommended, let's go to the city together for some fun… or, no, no, a local familiarization research… let's go!" (Lorena)
Yes. Even if it was a free day, we're eligible for travel allowance while we're in this country. That's why Katie and I decided to give it a proper name. …it's just a formality though.
"Then, would you like to go there? I've been wondering about that name for a while now…." (Katie)
"Oh, there you are. I was also curious…." (Lorena)
"Prince Zoo[2]!!" (Both)
Mitsuha-sama previously listed nearby facilities and sightseeing spots that you could enjoy even if you didn't understand the language. She wrote it on a memo paper in our country's language….
…among them there was a facility called "Prince Zoo"!
Moreover, it was very close from here. It's only a few minutes walk!
No, it's close to the premise, but the main gate was on the other side, so it's a bit of a walk…
"But what kind of facility is this, 'Prince Zoo'? What if the princes of each country were captured and kept in cages…"
"No, no, that's not true! Maybe the prince of each animal…"
"A wolf prince or a rabbit prince?"
"I'm curious~!!" (Both)
"First, let's go to a museum. It's right there, and art can be very helpful in understanding a country." (Lorena)
"Yeah~" (Katie)
Katie, who was very curious about the Prince Zoo, looked at my suggestion with a disgusted look on her face, but that didn't mean she wasn't going there.
…I was just a person who saves delicious food until last.
"Today is free time, but it's still covered by the stipend. So, we have to study properly, not just go sightseeing…" (Lorena)
"I know…." (Katie)
It seemed that Katie was also aware of her role as a servant of the Viscount Yamano household, also as a specially selected support staff for Colette and Her Royal Highness Princess Sabine's study abroad.
If she had said something silly, I would have given her strong guidance, even though she was my colleague.
Even though we were the same age, I was the first to start working at the mansion. After all, I was her senior!
Normally, I maintained an equal position as a colleague and never acted like a senior, but it would be a different story if she behaved in a manner unbecoming of a maid of the Viscount Yamano family.
When Katie wasn't with Mitsuha-sama or the higher-ranking servants, she spoke in a way that's a bit rough or boyish, which was a bit unbecoming of a maid from an aristocratic family, but well, the the higher-up or the guests she used proper language in front of guests, so I could tolerate it…
I thought she should always speak politely so she didn't accidentally say harsh words in front of guests…
Maybe it's her fault that she played with the neighborhood kids on her days off.
…no, the act itself was not bad, but….
Well, that's Katie's freedom. As long as she was neat when at work….
Personally, I thought she would be better to hang out with men at her age or a little older than playing with children.
…I didn't have anyone like that either…
Well, in a situation like this, Mitsuha-sama would have said something like this.
…urusai wa!!
…okay, it's time to leave!
Today, both of us were in casual clothes. Therefore, this was the kind of clothing that would be suitable for going to an art museum or zoo.
It's my job as a maid to go shopping for groceries, so of course I wore my work clothes, but I didn't think any girls would go out in their work clothes on their days off, right?
When I was first brought to this country with Katie, they—Mitsuha-sama, Colette, and Her Royal Highness Princess Sabine—showed me around and selected these clothes at a large clothing store.
Of course, Mitsuha-sama told us that "everyday clothes for going out, which are not very noticeable in this country, are a necessity, so it would be covered by the expenses," and Mitsuha-sama paid the entire amount. Also the cost of meals afterwards and souvenirs for my family...
As expected of Mitsuha-sama!!
However, I felt bad for her to have to shop at such a large clothing store, so I told her that it was fine if it was from a small store, and pointed to a nearby store. I was surprised when she said, "It's a boutique or haute couture store, selling branded items and made-to-order items, so the prices are eye-popping compared to the big stores over here."
I didn't quite understand the first half, but it was probably something like "A small, privately run arms shop run by a stubborn but skilled blacksmith."
"Hoo~…." (Katie)
Katie, whose interests tend to be more like boy…not a man…, didn't really happy going to the museum, and she wanted to go to the Prince Zoo as soon as possible, but in reality, after visiting the museum, she was completely captivated by it.
That's no wonder.
The country called Jah-pan, where Colette and Princess Sabine were studying abroad, was amazing.
Buildings, transportation, food, clothing, and artwork….
Furthermore, there were smartphones that allow you to talk to people far away, washing machines that wash your laundry on their own, and many more….
There was also a smartphone in the mansion in the territory, but I thought it was Mitsuha-sama's secret magic tool, but here everyone had it. It's also much smaller and seemed to be the latest models.
…we were also holding it.
No, in my country, if we went to the royal capital instead of a rural territory like Viscount Yamano, it might be similar here…
Neither KATI nor I had ever left the territory, so we only knew about the countryside.
My homeland, the Kingdom of Zegreius, was probably as powerful as Jah-pan, if not rivaling Mitsuha-sama's homeland.
It is unfair to compare the countryside of the Kingdom of Zegreius (Yamano Territory) with the royal capital of Japan and say that the Zegreius Kingdom is backward.
That's what Mitsuha-sama said, umm, il, illogic…oh yeah, "That's illogical."
"Well then, shall we move on to the next one?" (Lorena)
"I've been waiting for this!" (Katie)
"My dream destination, to the 'Prince Zoo'!!" (Both)
Author's Note
Announcement of new publication! (^^)/
March 7th, average value book volume 18
March 9th, Potion (continued) Comics Volume 1
March 10th, Average Price Comics Volume 3
This is a flurry of publications, following the 11th volume of "Rokin" comics (with a newly written short story) on February 9th, the 8th volume of "Rokin" books on March 2nd, and the 9th volume of "Potion" books on March 2nd. (^^)/
Volume 1 of the Potion (Continued) comic is a continuation of Kokonoe-sensei's comicalization, and is the 10th volume, a continuation of Kokonoe-sensei's 9th volume of comics.
Thank you very much! (^^)/
PS:
It seems that the broadcast time of episode 10 of “Rokin” will be changed!
Be careful not to make mistakes when recording or watching! !
*Notice of change in episode 10 broadcast time
This work is currently being broadcast on ABC TV/TV Asahi's 24 network network "ANiMAZiNG!!!", but the broadcast times for episodes 10 and 12 will be changed as follows.
#Episode 10
Before change: From 26:00 on Saturday, March 11, 2023
After change: Saturday, March 11, 2023 * Possibility of starting at 28:20
*Possibility of pushing 10-140 minutes due to special programming
…It doesn't seem like everything has been exhausted. (^^ゞ
Translation Note
[1] にほん it was written in hiragana, not kanji, so I'll use the word "Jah-pan"
[2] It's here https://www.kobe-ojizoo.jp/ (probably?)
Edit History
9 Oct 2023: improved readability, grammar correction, added note.
21 Aug 2024: added dynamic naming