"Sure... but..."
She subconsciously glanced at Ei.
"Why are you looking at me? Since Ayaka invited you, wouldn't refusing be rather disrespectful?"
Ei asked.
Oh, so now you suddenly care about being considerate?!
Her eyes narrowed as she complained inwardly.
"Of course... if it's inconvenient for Shogun-sama, that's perfectly fine too..."
Ayaka added. Although she said that, anyone could tell that she genuinely wanted the Shogun to go with her.
"It's no trouble. I'll go with you... Besides, since you're the one inviting me, how could I possibly refuse?"
The Shogun smiled at her and readily agreed.
"—!"
Ayaka's face immediately lit up with joy. Although she tried to keep her expression under control, she could not suppress her excitement. A touch of anticipation and delight appeared on her beautiful face.
"..."
Watching the scene, Ei also smiled subtly.
"Ei... are you going tonight?"
The Shogun looked toward her.
"Me? I... haven't decided yet. I have some documents to deal with this afternoon. If I have time, perhaps I'll stop by and take a look."
Ei answered.
"Oh... Then Ayaka and I will head over first?"
"Mm. Go ahead... There's no need to wait for me."
Ei answered her warmly.
"Oh, right... There's actually one more thing..."
Ayaka remembered something she had nearly forgotten and spoke up.
"...?" ×2
Both of them looked at her.
"When the Akitsu Festival opens, there will be a fireworks display lasting several dozen minutes near Amakane Island. The person responsible for preparing the fireworks and handling all the related arrangements is the owner of Naganohara Fireworks—Miss Yoimiya."
Ayaka explained.
"Naganohara? Is that the girl who once set off fireworks in front of the Statue of the Omnipresent God?"
The memory resurfaced in the Shogun's mind, and she narrowed her eyes as she asked.
"Setting off fireworks beneath the statue? How mischievous... Didn't anyone discipline her back then?"
Ei also sounded somewhat displeased when she heard that.
"Uh... At the time, it was because of the Vision Hunt Decree, so..."
Ayaka became awkward...
"Oh, I see... Even so, she still shouldn't have set off something like that beneath the statue. Haa... Never mind. It's all in the past."
Ei exhaled.
"So? Why bring up that girl?"
The Shogun was puzzled.
"It's like this... Miss Yoimiya has told me several times before that... she wanted to meet you. But she also understands your status, so she only mentioned it in passing. Still... Miss Yoimiya actually has her own understanding of 'eternity.' If Shogun-sama is interested, perhaps you could get to know her."
Ayaka regained her composure and made the suggestion.
[Ayaka, help me out! Introduce me to Shogun-sama, okay? Even just mentioning me would be fine. Just tell her my name or something. Please, please~!]
Remembering how that fiery-haired girl had clasped her hands together and begged her before, Ayaka could not help smiling helplessly to herself.
She had a feeling that the two of them would get along quite well. Naturally, that was also what she hoped for.
...Her own understanding of eternity?
A girl who makes fireworks?
She was somewhat puzzled inside... but she had also become rather curious, especially since Ayaka had put it that way.
"Very well. Meeting her sounds worthwhile. Where is she now?"
She immediately asked without hesitation.
"Oh, Miss Yoimiya is currently preparing the fireworks for the Akitsu Festival's opening ceremony tonight. Unless something unexpected happened, she should be at Naganohara Fireworks."
After all, she needed to make a large quantity of fireworks... so she would probably spend most of her time holed up inside.
"Understood. I'll go take a look later."
She nodded, glanced at the sky as noon approached, and estimated that it was about time to start cooking.
"Mm... Thank you for going to the trouble, Shogun-sama."
Seeing this, Ayaka replied with relief.
"Shogun, it's about time to eat, isn't it?"
Sure enough, Ei brought up exactly what she had expected.
"I know—"
She sighed and stood, then remembered something and looked toward Ayaka.
"Ayaka, you can eat here too. I'll make some dishes for you as well."
After all, Ayaka frequently blew up the kitchen herself. If she went home, the servants would simply cook for her anyway, so the Shogun might as well make an extra portion. The three of them could eat together.
"Mm... Thank you very much, Shogun-sama. ///"
Ayaka nodded, warmth filling her heart.
This is the gentle, virtuous Shogun-sama. Her wi—Ahem~!
But then she thought of that woman Kokomi, and a trace of irritation rose in her heart.
Never mind. I won't think about it for now. That woman is far away from Narukami Island anyway. Even though we promised each other before that we'd share Shogun-sama, there's nothing wrong with occasionally competing for the initiative. After all, the saying "the pavilion closest to the water enjoys the moonlight first" exists for a reason.
...
Naganohara Fireworks was located downstream from Hanamizaka. It was fairly close to their home—Tenshukaku—and not particularly far away. After all, stepping out of Tenshukaku brought one directly into Hanamizaka's commercial district... It was very convenient.
Naganohara Fireworks was a fairly modest single-story building and did not occupy much land. There was also an area resembling a warehouse, presumably used to store materials for making fireworks.
Moreover, since it was called a "fireworks shop," it naturally sold fireworks as merchandise. However, there were no ready-made ones in stock. Fireworks could easily cause explosions, and storing large quantities together created numerous hazards, so anyone who wanted to buy them had to reserve them in advance or have them made on the spot.
It was around one in the afternoon. The sunlight was still bright, illuminating this part of Hanamizaka until everything looked fresh and radiant. A "fireworks shop" suited such a golden atmosphere particularly well, for when fireworks soared into the sky and bloomed, they too shone like brilliant golden light.
Dressed casually and carrying a wisteria-patterned parasol, The Shogun arrived in front of the fireworks shop. She first looked around the storefront, where samples of various fireworks were displayed. There were handheld varieties, others that launched into the sky, and all sorts of colorful designs. Did that girl make all of these herself? Merely looking at the fireworks in their countless shapes seemed enough to give her a sense of the girl's personality.
But... where was she?
After looking around, she found no one except an elderly man standing in front of the shop—
Perhaps he knows where she is?
She walked over to the elderly man... and when he saw her, he instinctively gave her a kindly smile.
"Welcome... dear customer."
Naganohara Ryuunosuke greeted her.
"Sir, may I ask if Miss Naganohara is here?"
She politely asked the elderly man in a gentle voice.
"...Mm-hm. Are you here to buy fireworks?"
He nodded first, then asked her that.
"...? No. I'm looking for someone."
She paused in surprise, then smiled slightly as she corrected him.
"Mm-hm..."
He nodded again...
"Sir? May I ask if Miss Naganohara—"
"What did you say? Speak louder, I can't hear you—"
Ryuunosuke pointed at his ear.
"Haa... May—I—ask—if—Miss—Yoimiya—is—here—?!"
She exhaled inwardly, then raised her voice and enunciated every word for him.
"Oh—Yoimiya?! That girl just left."
Ryuunosuke scratched his head and shouted back at her just as loudly.
Left?
"Do you know where she might have gone? Ah... I'm her friend."
She subconsciously returned to her usual volume.
"Huh—what? You're her girlfriend?!"
Who knew how he had heard it, but somehow that was what he understood.
"Where—might—she—have—gone?"
The corner of her mouth twitched before she raised her voice again.
"Oh—! I heard her say she was going to... Amakane Island. Something about preparing for a fireworks show tonight."
Ryuunosuke answered.
"Thank you..."
She instinctively thanked him.
"What?!"
Once again, he had not heard her.
"..."
She narrowed her eyes, raised one hand, and used Electro energy to write the words [Thank you] across her palm.
"Oh—No need to thank me, no need~!"
He smiled.
Haa—!
She withdrew her hand and hurriedly left... She was afraid he might start chatting with her. If that happened, communicating like this would be an absolute disaster.
She should just go find that girl instead...
Amakane Island was... to the west, apparently?