The party ended peacefully before midnight.

No one in the village was too drunk to walk. Everyone walked home.

Needless to say, golems with lights were stationed at strategic points in the village to illuminate their steps.

Licia and Pascoe personally showed Jin to the guest room on the second floor.

"Wow, this is Jin-san's country style!

Licia was impressed by the tatami mats.

"Hmmm!　It smells so good!"

Licia also seemed to like the smell of the igusa-like material.

Pascoe, on the other hand, did not seem to feel anything in particular since we showed him a room with a wooden floor and a bed, but he was surprised at the bedding made of magi silk.

He was surprised to see the bedding made of magi silk.

"Thank you very much, everyone.

Finally calming down, Jin called out to Erza and Meene, who had helped him in various ways.

"No, I didn't help much.

Jin-sama, I am a hired hand.

Erza and Meene shook their heads.

Meanwhile, Hannah is fast asleep.

"Jin, I don't want to wake her up, so please let her stay here.

When Martha left, Jin told Ruby 101, who was nearby, to put the two of them in his bedroom on the fifth floor.

"Okay."

Ruby 101 replied and went to put down the futon.

"Oh, yeah, Behrle."

Jin stops Behrle when he comes back from cleaning up.

"You guys can start sleeping in the castle tonight.

Until now, they had been renting a room in Jin's house.

"Your rooms are upstairs. We'll have one room each."

"......?　Can I have a room?

Behrle whispered in surprise, concerned for the sleeping Hanna.

"Yes. Ask Butler B. Butler B, please."

"Yes, sir."

"Oh, and Barrow just got back."

Behrle and Barrow were led upstairs by Butler B.

"......"

In the meantime, Jin notices Erza staring at him as if she wanted to say something.

"Yeah?　Elsa, what's wrong?"

Then Erza slowly opened her mouth.

"...... Jin, I want to stay here too."

Erza loves the combination of tatami mats and futons. Knowing this, Jin nodded his head while smiling a little.

"Yes, that's fine. Then I'll ask her to stay in one of the Japanese-style rooms.

"No, I'd rather stay with Hannah.

"With ...... my room."

"Oh."

Realizing what she meant, even Elsa's cheeks flushed a little.

"Well, but I understand. Hannah and Erza can sleep in the living room on the fifth floor.

"Thank you."

Elsa's face broke into a smile.

"Mother, I'll stay here tonight."

"Yes, yes, I understand. ...... Jin-sama, you take care of Erza then, okay?"

After a brief exchange of words, Meane gave her consent. Jin must be trusted that much.

"Shall we go now?"

"Yes."

Jin asked Reiko to pick Hannah up in her arms and climbed the stairs with Erza in tow.

It was a long way to the fifth floor, but Elsa was not too out of breath. Jin, on the other hand, was a little out of breath.

(It was a good thing we had the hidden elevator installed. ......)

Jin was thankful that the old man had installed the elevator in the heart pillar at short notice, even though he could not use it openly.

"Jin-sama. Is Erza-sama here too?"

Ruby 101 had just finished putting down the futon.

"Sorry, Elsa's going to stay here too, so we'll have two couples in the living room and one in my bedroom.

"Yes, I understand."

The futon was already laid out, and he took it by the ends and moved it to the other side.

He gently puts Hannah down on the futon. Then he lays down a new pair for Erza and that's it.

"Thank you very much. You can stay here for the rest of the day.

"Yes, sir. Good night, sir."

Ruby 101 said and went downstairs.

"Butler C, you can stay downstairs tonight too. Reiko will be here."

"Yes, sir."

"Well then, Elsa, take care of Hannah. Toilet and washroom are on the north side.

Okay. I'll take care of it.

And Reiko, take care of Hannah.

Yes, Father.

I don't think Hannah will wet the bed anymore, but it would be a big problem if she doesn't know where the bathroom is in the middle of the night or if she falls down the stairs in her sleep.

And she has been drinking a lot of juice tonight, so it's understandable that Jin was worried.

The living room where Elsa and Hannah sleep is separated from Jin's bedroom by a sliding door in a completely Japanese style.

"......Well, Erza, would you like to come over for a while before you go to bed?"

?"

Jin beckoned Erza and invited her to the sixth floor.

A narrow, steep staircase leads to the sixth floor, the top floor of Nido Castle. It is a square room about 10 meters square with a thick round pillar running through the center.

The room is about 10 meters square, with a thick round pillar running through the center.

"Wow."

It is pitch black outside, and the sky is covered with stars. Looking down, the houses are dotted with lights.

If it were brighter, the view would be better.

"Yeah. You should come back tomorrow morning.

Jin cut off the conversation. A moment of silence passes.

"......"

Then Jin spoke again.

"...... I have met the Emperor."

"!

Elsa's shoulders shook. Jin continued.

"He spoke to me in a friendly manner. He even showed me to the archives himself."

"...... yes."

Elsa looked at the starry sky and answered shortly.

"Do you want to ...... go home?"

Jin then said what he thought was the most important question to ask.

"...... what?"

At these words, Erza looked at Jin. He seemed to be smiling, but at the same time he had a pained expression on his face.

"......I also met Ms. Bertsche. He and Reinhardt seemed to be getting along well."

"............"

Erza was silent, looking down as if thinking about something.

"This place is very nice. ...... everyone is so nice. And with my mother."

After a few moments of silence, Erza began to speak.

"...... but Shoro is the country where I grew up. ...... my parents' home is there too."

Staring up at the starry sky again, Erza spoke each word as if to say it to herself.

"My home. My room. I won't say I don't miss it."

Then Erza looked at Jin again. Her eyes were filled with tears, as if they were about to spill.

"I'm not very good with my father, but ....... I had a few friends. I'd be lying ...... if I said I didn't want to go back."

Jin gently stroked Erza's head as she choked on her words.

"...... Jin, brother?"

Erza's cheeks turned slightly as he stroked her head, and she looked at Jin with a puzzled look on her face.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I just..."

Jin apologized and let go of the hand that was patting her head. Then he said something.

"Someday, I'm going to make sure that Erza can go back home with a big smile on her face.

"......Yes."

Erza said one word and laid her head on Jin's shoulder.