After Jin's explanation, it was almost dusk on Horai Island.

"Ah, it's getting late...aren't you two staying the night?"

Count Kuzuma nodded at Jin's invitation.

"Yes, I'd like that. Reinhard, what about you?

"Yes. Belle is too ill to go home, but I'll stay here tonight.

I'll stay here tonight. Then we can talk afterwards.

And then Beena said.

"Beena, are you okay?　You don't look so good."

"Yeah, yeah. I'm ...... feeling a bit light-headed because of everything that's been going on."

Beena replies to Erza's words with a weak smile.

"Well then, you two, relax in the hot springs.

"I'll do that. ......"

"Would you prefer a mixed bath or a separate bath for men and women?"

"Come on, ......!"

Bina turns bright red. She is still new to this kind of talk.

"Yes, separate, please."

Count Kuzma, sensing this, answered for her.

"I don't care if it's at the house, you don't have to do it when you're out of town.

Jin wondered if this meant that they would be together in the house, but he thought of Beena, whose face was still red, and decided not to say anything about it.

"Well, Beena, do you want to join us?"

When Erza spoke, Beena finally calmed down and shook her head.

"......Oh, that feels good."

"...... hmm."

Elsa and Beena were soaking in the hot spring together.

"Beena, will Lewis be nice to you?"

"Yes,...... yes."

Beena was surprised by the question out of the blue.

"Yes. I'm glad you're happy.

"Thank you. Erza is ...... happy too, now that she's engaged to Jin?"

Still in her old habits, Bina almost says "Erza-sama.

"Yes.

"Jin is an amazing person. I didn't think he was born and raised in another world. ...... but I guess it makes sense, considering his knowledge.

Bina remembers how he healed her siblings, how he made popcorn, and how he taught her that cold air goes down in the refrigerator.

"So, what did Elsa ...... think of Jin?"

"Yes. I'm not sure how much I can do to help you. ...... don't tell anyone about this."

Bina smiled and nodded.

"Oh, I know what you mean.

"But after talking to him for a while, I thought he was a kind person. When I got to know him, I thought he knew some unusual things. And ...... I began to feel safe when I was around him."

"I know. Jin is a person who doesn't seem to have anything flashy about him, but he has a strange way of sticking in your mind. ......So?"

"Hmm. He taught me ...... engineering magic and allowed me to go back home again,...... and I found myself becoming an irreplaceable person."

"I like that."

"Bina did her best. I'm sure it wasn't easy learning to be a countess.

Elsa understands. How hard it must have been for a commoner to acquire enough education to be a countess in a short period of time, how much effort it must have taken.

"Yes, that's true. But thinking of Louis, I could do my best."

"You look beautiful now, Beena."

"What?"

"Beena's beautiful now that Mr. Lewis loves her."

"She's ...... beautiful now." "What?　And Elsa, too.

"Me?"

"Yes. I think she's become much ...... softer."

"Softer......?"

Yes. When I first met you, you seemed kind of ...... unapproachable. Not because I was a commoner."

"...... I don't know, no."

Bina smiled.

"Of course you don't. You know yourself best, but you don't know yourself at all.

"Maybe it's because I wasn't very good at socializing back then."

"Maybe. Maybe that's not the only reason.

Even Bina doesn't know for sure.

"But Elsa is very nice with Jin.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Meanwhile, Jin, Reinhardt, and Count Kuzma are soaking in the men's bath.

"Jin-dono, I think I've been surprised enough in one day to last a lifetime.

"Luis, you're not done yet. I'm sure you'll be even more surprised when you see all the things Jin has made.

"I'm sure you'll have more surprises in store for you later on."

"Yes. I and Erza were told about it by Jin at the very beginning.

In that sense, I think that Count Kuzma and Bina, who are the most junior of the two, will have a hard time.

"Well, you'll have to get used to it."

Count Kuzma, who heard Reinhardt's line, asked Jin with a twitchy face.

"...... I understand."

Battleships, submarines, land, sea and air forces, undersea forces and space forces. And if I show him the spaceships, it will be more than he can tolerate, Jin decided to cancel part of tomorrow's schedule.

* * * * * *

Is this tatami?

"You're new here. I experienced it when I came here with Elsa. I remember Elsa loved it."

The two are staying at Jin's house.

A futon is laid out in a tatami room.

"...... but this futon is wonderful."

It's the same futon they both use, the <> futon woven with threads produced by the Grand Caterpillar.

This one has been further improved to make it more comfortable to sleep on.

A futon should be more than just soft.

The current Horaijima standard is a futon that is made to support the body tightly, creating soft and slightly firm areas so that the spine does not bend.

"Thanks to Beena, I guess."

"What's wrong all of a sudden?"

"No, I just thought that the reason I got to know Jin-dono and the reason I was invited to such a wonderful place was because Beena is my wife.

"You don't mean that. No, on the contrary. You are the reason I am here.

He had never said it out loud, but he remembered the anxiety he felt when he was almost taken prisoner in Count Galana's house, and the relief he felt when he was saved. She will never forget it, Bina thinks.

But that does not mean that she married him for a favor.

It was because I really fell in love with Lewis. That's why she is willing to stand by his side and support him now and in the future.

"Thank you, my dear."

"What are you doing here all of a sudden?"

I just wanted to say something.

"I see. Well, I just wanted to say it. Thank you, Beena.

And so the night of Horai Island continues.