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“…Hmm”

When I opened my eyes, I caught the scent of sakura.
Reaching out because it tickled, I felt a petal against my fingertips. It must have landed on my face while I was sleeping.
I let the sakura drift out through the slightly open window and let out a sigh. Was it the scent that made me have that old dream?

“Good morning, Arje-san.”
“Yes, good morning, Kuzuha-chan.”

I returned the greeting to Kuzuha-chan, whose fox ears were bobbing next to me, then opened the window wide and looked outside. The scenery, blurred by the rocking of the carriage, was peaceful, and the sky looked clear.
After watching the wind rustle the grass and flowers for a while, I turned my gaze to the interior of the carriage.
The carriage we’re riding in right now was arranged by Satsuki-san. Unlike Xeno-kun’s carriage, this one is designed specifically to transport people, so it’s luxurious and comfortable. Although it sways a bit, it doesn’t bother me much.

It has a proper roof, and the seats are plush, almost like sofas. Satsuki-san is sitting across from me. Since the coffin—along with its resident—has been checked as luggage, she’s traveling light.

“Please don’t leave the window open too much. Iris-chan is sensitive to direct sunlight.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No, no, as long as you’re careful, that’s fine. We’re getting close to Sakuranomiya soon, so I think it’s a good idea to take in the scenery.”

Satsuki-san smiled as she spoke, her red hairpin swaying.
As always, she’s wearing her kimono loosely, and her breasts look like they’re about to spill out, but she doesn’t seem to mind. Even setting modesty aside, if direct sunlight is bad for her, I think she should avoid exposing her skin.
The fact that she’s fine as long as it’s not direct sunlight probably means she’s quite resistant to sunlight for a vampire, but even so, since she explicitly states it herself, her body is still vulnerable to the sun.

That said, fashion is a matter of personal taste. Wearing a kimono loosely is usually considered sloppy, but in her case, it’s strangely alluring and suits her well.
She says she wears it loosely because it’s tight around her chest, so since it’s a choice made for comfort, I suppose it’s fine. She doesn’t seem to mind drawing attention, either.

“It’ll be noon by the time we arrive, so why don’t we have lunch at my place first?”
“Your house, Satsuki-san?”
“Yes. It’s both my home and my workplace.”
“What kind of work do you do?”
“Well, I run a cafe.”

When she said “cafe,” the first thing we did was look at Satsuki-san.
Even though it was worn loosely, it was a kimono. It was green and not flashy, but perhaps because of her figure—which accentuated her curves just right—it looked somehow alluring.
In contrast to the kimono Aoba-san wore in my dream—which was glamorous in and of itself—Satsuki-san’s allure comes from her own body and aura.

Her long black hair was adorned with a floral hairpiece. Though it wasn’t a traditional kanzashi, the combination of black hair and flowers still evoked a strong sense of Japanese tradition.
When you talk to her, she seems innocent, and her words and actions often come across as a bit restless. However, when she stands there quietly like this, her appearance perfectly fits the description of a “sensual kimono beauty.”
If she were wearing heavy makeup and a kanzashi instead of a floral hair ornament, she’d look just like a geisha.

“……Isn’t this a teahouse?”

It was Kuzuha-chan who voiced the question I’d been thinking.
In terms of meaning, a “teahouse” and a “cafe” probably aren’t that different. Both are places to take a break or have a light meal.
However, “cafe” has a Western feel, while “teahouse” has a Japanese feel. It might seem like a minor detail, but given the context, I think “teahouse” is more appropriate, just as Kuzuha-chan said.

“No, no, no! There are tons of teahouses in the Republic, aren’t there? Our place is the original cafe. We’re the pioneers who first brought the culture of cakes and parfaits to the Republic!”

Satsuki-san waved her hands dramatically and puffed out her oversized chest with a “Hmph!”
I don’t know where cakes and parfaits originated in this other world, but it seems she was the first to introduce them to the Republic.

…It’s not an impossible story, though.

I don’t know how long vampires live, but it’s probably considerably longer than humans. It’s just based on my memories from my past life—that is, from another world—but vampires don’t seem to age much.
I’ve never asked Satsuki-san how old she is, so it’s a mystery, but I don’t think she’s actually the age she looks.
That was just her own claim, but I suppose what she said must be true.

“Um, Satsuki-san, how old are you…?”
“I’m forever seventeen…!”

With her thumb held high and a beaming smile, Satsuki-san’s energy does definitely feel like that of a teenager. Well, I’m sure that middle part was a lie, though.

“By the way, Iris-chan is 687 years old.”
“Huh!? Iris-san is over 300 years older than Mother!?”
“Aren’t you two saying some pretty harsh things about her behind her back?”

I feel like talking about women’s ages is generally off-limits, but maybe it’s okay among women. That said, Satsuki-san seemed to dodge the question about her own age.
Mentally, I’m a guy, so I don’t really get that sort of thing. Feeling a bit uncomfortable with the girl talk blossoming inside the carriage, I looked outside once more.

The view from the window wasn’t just sakura—there were all kinds of colorful flowers.
This is another world, but there are sakura here. So does that mean the flowers I see through this window are also flowers that exist in my world?
In my memories, if she were still in that world, she’d surely know the answer, but I had absolutely no idea.

Leaving Satsuki-san and Kuzuha, who were getting more and more excited, to themselves, I closed my eyes.
We’d probably reach the city while I was napping. I decided to sleep just a little longer.