Even maids sometimes get angry.
"Tien-san ate well, bathed, and slept yesterday. That's all. She's always been a pretty, strong girl. But today she looks different... to call her 'unfamiliar' is clearly not being observant enough."
"You're the one in charge of the field, and you don't know anything about your subordinates?"
He said it head on and the foreman got scared,
"We're just here to see the mine. Can you please issue us a visitor's pass?"
"You little... You're not allowed to visit!"
"Article 35, 'Open Mines' of the mine management regulations states that 'visitors may be allowed to tour the mine at any time if they are guided by regular workers who have received proper training in basic labor. Originally, there is no need for a visitor's pass."
"Hey, what are you..." "Hey, what are you saying?"
"Director...she's right, you know."
"Huh!"
"...This office only issues tour passes on its own, so you don't need one. Of course, you have to give it out when asked."
"And I've been getting some referrals."
The clerk gasped when Nina told him about the carriage driver who had brought her to this town. He seemed to be someone who had taken care of her in the past.
The clerk hurriedly brought out three armbands with the word "Visit" on them and put them on the counter.
Let's go, then. Tien-san."
Nina took the armband and led Tien's arm out.
Emily said after hearing the story.
Tien and Nina came out of the office with strong faces.
What's going on? When I asked him more about it, he said that Tien had been spotted by the foreman.
"It's a 'ghost dog' for crying out loud! You're such a lovely Tien-san...!"
Nina is unusually upset.
"......"
"And what about Tien? What did you think? You've been so quiet."
Emily turned the water on him,
"...Why are you doing this to me?"
Tien asked Nina.
In her hand is a canteen filled with well water that Astrid bought for her.
It's one of the few drinks that Tien can drink.
There were water bottles for everyone.
"Why, if you don't mind me saying...I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude."
"That's not the point. Nina has done far too much for us just by asking us to visit the mine."
Nina looked at Emily, at a loss for an answer. Nodding her head, Emily said.
"Nina doesn't want anything in return other than a 'tour of the mine'."
Before Tien could say, "That's crazy," Emily said,
"You must be surprised. I've only known her a short time, but I'm always surprised. But she seems to think it's no big deal."
"It's not possible to do something that only a top chef would notice and not make a big deal out of it."
"But, but, it's only natural for a maid."
"""It's not."""
It was Emily, Astrid, and Tien. They were in perfect harmony.
"What, what...?"
"Well, she's a natural caretaker. Don't worry, she's not a traitor."
"I don't think there's any ulterior motive, but... after all they've done for me, there's nothing I can give back."
"It doesn't matter. Even if you can't pay me back."
Emily put the water bottle to her mouth and gulped it down.
"I heard that you've been donating to the monastery too. I heard you've already given more than you've helped. Do you have to give something in return?"
"I don't need anything in return."
"That's what I mean."
"But Chi was raised in an orphanage. Would you do the same to a complete stranger?"
"...I don't understand why you're saying that, either. It's just that some people are like Nina. There's no point in worrying too much. It's easier to think that I'm going to do a great job as a guide today."
Nina added that we shouldn't think in general terms.
What?" Nina looked at Emiri as if she was really surprised, but Emiri patted Nina's head.
(There are people who can be kind to complete strangers.)
Tien thought as he walked down the road to the mine.
(On the other hand, there are people who are like foremen who yell at their subordinates.)
I'm feeling much better. Definitely the best I've felt in years.
(There are parents who abandoned their blood-related children...)
With a clear head, many thoughts come and go.
There is no way to put them all together.
But Tien wondered if she could be like Nina. Isn't it possible? Wouldn't every day be more fun if I could be like her? That's how she felt.
(Is what I'm doing so strange?)...
Nina was thinking about Nina.
(Tien-san also agreed with me, which means that Emily-san is right... I'm probably much more caring and good-natured than others?)
All Nina has ever been taught is to serve others.
That was the way it was supposed to be, that was the way it was supposed to be done.
(I thought being a maid was who I was, but I wonder what would happen if I took off my maid's uniform.)
That thought occurred to me.
I set out on this journey with the light-hearted intention of sightseeing, and found myself in the company of Emily, a reliable mage, and Astrid, an incredibly smart inventor.
I still have a desire to visit the mine.
I have a desire to go to the next country.
(But what happens after that?)
What lies at the end of this journey?
"......"
"......"
Emily and Astrid watched Nina's face as she was troubled.
"Tien-san ate well, bathed, and slept yesterday. That's all. She's always been a pretty, strong girl. But today she looks different... to call her 'unfamiliar' is clearly not being observant enough."
"You're the one in charge of the field, and you don't know anything about your subordinates?"
He said it head on and the foreman got scared,
"We're just here to see the mine. Can you please issue us a visitor's pass?"
"You little... You're not allowed to visit!"
"Article 35, 'Open Mines' of the mine management regulations states that 'visitors may be allowed to tour the mine at any time if they are guided by regular workers who have received proper training in basic labor. Originally, there is no need for a visitor's pass."
"Hey, what are you..." "Hey, what are you saying?"
"Director...she's right, you know."
"Huh!"
"...This office only issues tour passes on its own, so you don't need one. Of course, you have to give it out when asked."
"And I've been getting some referrals."
The clerk gasped when Nina told him about the carriage driver who had brought her to this town. He seemed to be someone who had taken care of her in the past.
The clerk hurriedly brought out three armbands with the word "Visit" on them and put them on the counter.
Let's go, then. Tien-san."
Nina took the armband and led Tien's arm out.
Emily said after hearing the story.
Tien and Nina came out of the office with strong faces.
What's going on? When I asked him more about it, he said that Tien had been spotted by the foreman.
"It's a 'ghost dog' for crying out loud! You're such a lovely Tien-san...!"
Nina is unusually upset.
"......"
"And what about Tien? What did you think? You've been so quiet."
Emily turned the water on him,
"...Why are you doing this to me?"
Tien asked Nina.
In her hand is a canteen filled with well water that Astrid bought for her.
It's one of the few drinks that Tien can drink.
There were water bottles for everyone.
"Why, if you don't mind me saying...I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude."
"That's not the point. Nina has done far too much for us just by asking us to visit the mine."
Nina looked at Emily, at a loss for an answer. Nodding her head, Emily said.
"Nina doesn't want anything in return other than a 'tour of the mine'."
Before Tien could say, "That's crazy," Emily said,
"You must be surprised. I've only known her a short time, but I'm always surprised. But she seems to think it's no big deal."
"It's not possible to do something that only a top chef would notice and not make a big deal out of it."
"But, but, it's only natural for a maid."
"""It's not."""
It was Emily, Astrid, and Tien. They were in perfect harmony.
"What, what...?"
"Well, she's a natural caretaker. Don't worry, she's not a traitor."
"I don't think there's any ulterior motive, but... after all they've done for me, there's nothing I can give back."
"It doesn't matter. Even if you can't pay me back."
Emily put the water bottle to her mouth and gulped it down.
"I heard that you've been donating to the monastery too. I heard you've already given more than you've helped. Do you have to give something in return?"
"I don't need anything in return."
"That's what I mean."
"But Chi was raised in an orphanage. Would you do the same to a complete stranger?"
"...I don't understand why you're saying that, either. It's just that some people are like Nina. There's no point in worrying too much. It's easier to think that I'm going to do a great job as a guide today."
Nina added that we shouldn't think in general terms.
What?" Nina looked at Emiri as if she was really surprised, but Emiri patted Nina's head.
(There are people who can be kind to complete strangers.)
Tien thought as he walked down the road to the mine.
(On the other hand, there are people who are like foremen who yell at their subordinates.)
I'm feeling much better. Definitely the best I've felt in years.
(There are parents who abandoned their blood-related children...)
With a clear head, many thoughts come and go.
There is no way to put them all together.
But Tien wondered if she could be like Nina. Isn't it possible? Wouldn't every day be more fun if I could be like her? That's how she felt.
(Is what I'm doing so strange?)...
Nina was thinking about Nina.
(Tien-san also agreed with me, which means that Emily-san is right... I'm probably much more caring and good-natured than others?)
All Nina has ever been taught is to serve others.
That was the way it was supposed to be, that was the way it was supposed to be done.
(I thought being a maid was who I was, but I wonder what would happen if I took off my maid's uniform.)
That thought occurred to me.
I set out on this journey with the light-hearted intention of sightseeing, and found myself in the company of Emily, a reliable mage, and Astrid, an incredibly smart inventor.
I still have a desire to visit the mine.
I have a desire to go to the next country.
(But what happens after that?)
What lies at the end of this journey?
"......"
"......"
Emily and Astrid watched Nina's face as she was troubled.