The Shinto City of Hourai has a much larger area than any other city in the Yuri Empire.

This is because there are few tall buildings in Hourai. Most of the buildings in the city are single-story buildings, and not many of them even have a second floor.

Compared to the “Labyrinth” of Ulysses, where it is not uncommon to see buildings with a double-digit number of floors, this is a scene of stark contrast.

Since the space is not highly utilized and the population density cannot be increased, there is no other way but to make the city area itself large enough to accommodate enough people.

Of course, this is the result of <Kikyou> children's deliberate design of the city to make it that way.

The similar height of the tiled buildings lined up in a row created a scene that was somewhat like an original Japanese landscape. Yuri liked this very much.

―――Incidentally, the reason why Japan's old buildings are all flat roofs is that the country is prone to earthquakes and typhoons.

In this world, we haven't experienced any earthquakes or typhoons, so to be honest, there's not much point in having only short buildings.

Even in the city of Hourai, there are only two tall buildings that are up to four stories high.

One of them is the ‘Government Office’ building in the center of the city. This is where Roselotte, whom Yuri entrusts as the lord of Hourai, and Amaterasu, who unites the gods, work.

It is the place where administrative work is handled, and it is also a facility that serves as a government office for the people living in the city when they need to complete official procedures.

The other building is the Hourai Palace, right next to the Government Office.

This was built as an annex to the Yuritania Palace, where Yuri and the rest of the Yuri Empire usually lived and worked.

It's a much smaller building than the one over there, so it doesn't have as many rooms. Even so, there are offices, reception rooms, and private rooms for Yuri, the Empress, in this building as well.

“I'm sorry, Master. I'm a little late.”

―――It was the night of the 40th day of the winter month, just a few hours before the new year.

Sofia finally arrived at the reception room of Horai Palace.

Already in the reception room were Estoa, Yubel, and the sisters Lizelia and Roselotte. Sofia was the only one from Yuri's concubine who was a little late for the scheduled meeting.

“Good night, Sofia. Did you have a hard time with your work?”

“Yes. I have to take a day off tomorrow, so it took me a while.”

“I'm sorry you had to go through that.. It must have been cold outside.”

Normally, we don't feel cold or hot regardless of the season because the temperature in the city is always maintained at a constant level by the deployed【 Temperature Control Ward 】.

For some time now, the【 Temperature Control Ward 】deployed in the city of Hourai have been tested to reproduce the temperature environment according to the seasons by changing the settings.

The reason for this is because many of the gods living in Hourai have said that they miss the feeling of the seasons.

Apparently, the gods have a desire to enjoy the unique atmosphere of the four seasons.

And Yuri could not help but feel the same way. Only the city of Hourai has been modified to randomly recreate the temperature according to the seasons on a trial basis.

Tonight, the last day of the Winter Moon, the temperature outside was so cold that it was almost snowing.

The Hourai Palace is located in the center of the city, not too far from the【 Transfer Gate 】. Even so, the cold of Hourai must have been too much for Sofia, who had come to visit me in her normal clothes. Her tone of voice was much weaker than usual.

“Ah, it's warm..”

As Hourai Palace is a Japanese building, more than half of the rooms in the building are Japanese-style rooms with tatami mats.

This reception room is no exception. A rug is laid out on the tatami mat, and Sofia, who has dipped her legs into the magical kotatsu, said so with a deep sigh.

“A kotatsu is a good thing.. I'd like one for the Explorers Guild.”

“We could get one, but it's not that cold over there, so I don't think we'd need one.”

“Ah, that's true..”

At present, only the city of Hourai has changed the setting of the【 Temperature Control Ward 】, and the city of Ulysses is still maintaining a constant temperature.

It is only in the cold environment that you can feel the value of the kotatsu. Even if it were installed at the Explorers' Guild, where Sofia works, it would be of no use.

It seems that Sofia has been struck by the cold and is not thinking very well at the moment.

“Hmmm. When I was walking outside, I couldn't understand the meaning of going to the trouble of making this city cold at all.. After experiencing the happiness of being in a kotatsu like this, a winter-like cold environment doesn't seem so bad.”

“I understand. In fact, both are good and bad. Even in the hot springs in this city, the intoxication of happiness is greater when it's cold.”

“Mmm, I'm sure that's true.. This year is already over, but next year I would like to try the open-air baths in winter.”

“Fufu, now we have something to look forward to next winter.”

Of course, hot spring baths in winter are not all good, especially the open-air baths, as the body gets very cold after bathing.

If you're not careful, you'll probably catch a cold in no time.

“Everyone, I'm sorry you had to come all this way again this year.”

Yuri also gathered the concubine at the end of last year, just like now.

So for Estoa, Sofia, Lizelia, and Roselotte, this was the second time they had been called together on New Year's Eve like this. Only Yubel, who joined Yuri's concubine this year, was experiencing this for the first time.

“No. In fact, there was a part of me that was looking forward to the end of this year, hoping that Yuri Sister would ask me out again. I'm very happy that you invited me.”

“My. Estoa has some nice things to say.”

Sitting on the same side of the kotatsu, Yuri gently pats Estoa’s head.

Another advantage of the kotatsu is that the distance between us is closer than when we sit on the sofa facing each other and talking. With Estoa sitting next to her and Roserotte sitting diagonally in front of her on the left, she can reach out and touch them at any time.

“I can't believe I'll be able to finish off the year by savoring my husband's home-cooked meals. I am so happy.”

“Thank you, Roselotte.. Let's go get ready, then.”

Yuri made up her mind and pulled her legs out of the kotatsu.

The kotatsu makes you happy when you are in it, but you can't help but feel a lot of resistance when you get out.

―――It has its advantages, but it also has its disadvantages.

That's what the kotatsu is all about.