Mostly, this is from around episodes 428 to 488 of the main story, during Celesta and Rapal’s journey.
“The snow has melted all at once in just a few days, hasn’t it?”
The wind blowing through the tavern window was cold, yet Sebori leaned his upper body against the windowsill with such ease that he smiled contentedly.
Hanna, the tavern’s proprietress known as “Okami-san,” replied while preparing something upon hearing him.
“There are still stubborn patches of ice lingering in the shaded northern areas, so be careful. People who just arrived often get lured into picnics by cheerful invitations and fall right into that trap.”
“Oh. They don’t notice the frozen ground and sit down directly on it.”
“You’d figure it out if you checked first. But they decide to rest under tree shade without thinking, and because everything around them has turned into a grassy field, they end up doing it anyway. Then, after a while, ‘Hyaa!’ goes their cry.”
“Ahhahaha. Elves certainly wouldn’t make such a foolish mistake.”
“Really? Well, think about it—we haven’t even met before; we’ve just lived side by side. My sermon might have been presumptuous.”
“Well, that’s basically how it is. Besides, I and Oregano look like young girls of sixteen or seventeen by human standards, but in reality, we’re nearly thirty, aren’t we?”
“Oh my.”
”…Well, let’s keep that secret from my master. It seems emotions that are hard to express arise when one has an age that’s only halfway into what humans can experience.”
“Maybe it does.”
“Just so you know, elves under the age of 100 are basically treated like children? We’re not particularly childish, are we?”
Hanna burst out laughing at Sebori’s desperate defense.
“Heheheh, I get it, I get it. Besides, neither Sebori nor Oregano-chan thinks of themselves as children. There are even some who’ve passed their twenties and are still kids. Look at Keir from the Lindon household.”
“It’s complicated being called an adult when compared to him…”
Keir, a regular at the tavern who boasts unparalleled childishness—or rather, pettiness—among them. Is it acceptable to take being described as more mature than him as a compliment?
As they were talking like this, Cute entered with a cheerful bang on the front door.
“Meow!”
“Hold on, Cute. Don’t use ‘meow’ as a greeting.”
“Nyu… Oh, good morning—”
“There we go.”
“Sebori, wouldn’t it be fine to just say ‘You’ve worked hard’ here? It’s not even morning anymore.”
“But, according to Miss Hilda, in the industry there’s no night or day; the moment work begins is considered morning for them, so they always use ‘Good morning.’”
“I don’t know what industry that is, but I have mornings and nights too, and I’d like to hear the morning greeting in the morning.”
“Meow!”
“Cute! Don’t use ‘meow’ as a way to get attention. Speak properly.”
“Nyu…”
“Don’t use it as a substitute for ‘Yes’ either!”
“Sebori… If you can distinguish between just one ‘meow,’ wouldn’t it be fine to just leave it as is?”
“No way. We must teach proper etiquette to the younger generation. Also, saying ‘meow meow’ with cat ears is already underhanded; it’s quite deceptive. Stop relying solely on your ranged attacks and learn shame!”
Sebori clenched his fist and delivered a passionate speech.
“I don’t quite understand, but Cute, listen to Sebori in moderation.”
“Meow…”
“Hey, so don’t say that! I was listening to what you said!?”
“I didn’t quite catch it…”
The tavern remains peaceful as usual today.
“In fact, this is our first time in Polka.”
“Hmm. That does seem right.”
Around the same time, Fennel was chatting with Elina over tea after finishing her morning paperwork.
“Wasn’t your arrival in Polka back in late autumn last year?”
“Yes. It was already starting to snow…”
“Did you ever venture out into the forest?”
“I have a few times… partly due to my role in maintaining contact with Mist Palace. But with arms too slender even to draw a bow, I couldn’t leave the human settlements.”
“Silver was quite agitated about that.”
“Yes. That’s why… this is almost my first time seeing grass and flowers sprout from beneath the snow, as if reborn. Isn’t it wonderful? The way the earth responds to each season.”
“Hmm. While the eternal spring of the Northern Forest is beautiful in its own right, perhaps it is like a blacksmith’s hammer forging iron—cold autumns and winters, warm springs and summers, tempering life beyond these walls.”
Elina sat deeply in a chair far too large for her, dangling her feet idly while unconsciously stroking the collar around her neck. Fennel chuckled softly at her gesture.
“What was that?”
“Just a reflex to stroke your collar when we talk about blacksmithing.”
”…Well, I suppose it’s unavoidable. You probably associate the same things as well.”
“Yes… Master, what is he doing now?”
“Well, Celesta knows far too many places we don’t. Though beds are plentiful wherever she goes…”
“A bit jealous, aren’t you?”
“Hmm. Honestly, Kristie, winter work hardly demands urgency. Yet since you’re in a position where you can’t roam freely, you’ve been holding me back.”
Elina began complaining loudly, but the elf’s ears were far more sensitive than a human’s. “You are Polka’s official ambassador of goodwill, Lady of the White Clan? If you’ve taken on that responsibility yourself, I worry about granting full authority to another clan—one who is merely a representative—to do so so frequently.”
Kristie entered naturally from outside the office.
Fennel widened his eyes slightly in alarm, while Elina frowned guiltily.
“Such matters of full authority rarely arise in Polka. Especially here on the frontier, with Mist’s dragons coming and going.”
“That’s precisely when problems occur if you’re careless. Besides, if everything could be solved by brute strength alone, what purpose would an ambassador of goodwill serve?”
“Mm, mm…”
“Moreover, constantly following someone isn’t a woman’s only role. Sometimes distance strengthens bonds between men and women—just as cold and heat forge iron together.”
“Mm… Well, the logic isn’t entirely wrong. But…”
“If you follow him, you’re already at a disadvantage among so many other women, not to mention needing to capture his attention despite having your own mission. Travel fatigue works against you compared to physically fit warriors. Wouldn’t it be more effective to prepare thoroughly while waiting for his return, then offer reserved pleasures at the perfect moment?”
”…That’s quite cunning… or rather, shrewd.”
“Rephrasing it doesn’t make me sound much better, Elina?”
“I-I admit it. Please don’t get so worked up.”
Elina hurriedly apologized, her voice trembling slightly despite her smile, as Kristie looked back with a playful yet wary expression.
“But in reality, we who stay behind can never match the quantity of service provided by the accompanying group… it’s all about quality, certainly.”
Sensing the atmosphere had softened slightly, Fennel decided that steering the conversation toward something more comfortable was preferable and chimed in.
Christie nodded.
“To make this Polka the first place anyone wants to return to, I think we need to focus our efforts on service. For example… since your Lordship enjoys clever group sex, perhaps we could put some thought into that.”
“Our four households are originally separated from others, so we’re well-suited for such things… How about waiting in a manner designed to stir up your Lordship’s lust?”
“Lust? Are you planning to have the courtesan’s attire made by Oregano as well?”
“That sounds nice too. Oh, putting up a sign might be good too. Something like ‘Elven Territory Public Brothel’.”
“If we don’t keep it secret, other clans will hear about it and get furious.”
“Of course, once the sign is up, Lady Elina will also become one of our courtesans, won’t you?”
Fennel spoke with a mischievous grin, clearly delighted. Elina hesitated but nodded, not entirely opposed.
“Well, well… if only Lord Samson were the sole client… perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad to occasionally take off the collar and sell our spring.”
“Everyone would be bought for a single coin, used freely to satisfy their carnal desires. It might even be fun to deliberately limit certain acts and say things like ‘Anything beyond this point is an additional charge’ ♪”
“Hmm. That sounds good… not bad at all… Won’t Christie join in as well?”
“I feel like I wouldn’t fit in…”
“In that case, perhaps Christie could team up with Lady Lyra, the Princess of Glory, and Lady Hilda to establish a separate brothel. Their tastes would be quite different from ours.”
“It feels like they’re treating me as an older woman…”
“N-no, that’s just my imagination. The Princess of Glory and Lady Lyra aren’t so different from me.”
The secret plan for Andy’s exclusive back-brothel.
Later, it would expand to include the cat-beasts’ “Cat Mansion,” even going so far as to have Jeanne mint special coins for its use—but that is a story for another time.
And among those involved would be a certain courtesan from Tark, providing technical guidance—but again, that shall be omitted here.
“Setting that aside, if there’s anything in this Polka that I particularly miss upon returning, it’s the hot springs.”
“Hmm. Indeed, that sensation of travel fatigue dissolving and flowing away with a sound is indescribable.”
“Healing your Lordship in the hot springs… perhaps it’s time we stopped being so secretive about our service.”
“What? But whether it’s the men’s bath or the women’s bath, we can’t completely exclude other guests. Moreover, requesting permission from the Baron for modifications to the water source branching is far too awkward.”
“In the current situation, I believe the best solution is a barrier prison.”
Elina and Fennel offered sensible answers.
“That’s true, but actually, there may be a possibility of creating hot springs outside the town as well.”
“No way…”
“A little into the forest, at a location before where the ancient barrier begins. There appears to be a spring source about 2 kilometers away from the town. The Baron seems to have known of its existence since long ago, but because it was located within the forest, he left it untouched out of concern for provoking the elves. However, since we are elves ourselves, that issue has been resolved…
“Are you planning to seize that spot?”
“That’s a bit rude. When I asked the Baron if we could use it, he said, ‘Since the townspeople have hot spring baths nearby, there’s no need for them to venture deep into the forest.’ In other words, if we establish our own bathhouse there independently, it might become an exclusive bathing facility dedicated to serving your Lordship. However…”
“However?”
“We can’t use anyone else’s hands for construction with that purpose in mind.”
“Aaaah…”
“That’s true… Even if we ask the elf master craftsmen, it would be difficult to request their help while keeping it secret.”
Though humans would never venture deep into the treacherous forest merely to seek out hot springs, for elves, publicly announcing a location inevitably draws visitors. Since all the springs on the Trotte side are officially (procedurally) Baronial property, there’s nothing left but to nod when asked for permission to enter.
The three elves, sharing the same desire—to use this place freely for their naked rendezvous with Andy—began twisting their brows in thought.
“I’ve heard Diane is quite skilled in architecture, but how about that? When will we even have time to build something like this?”
“More pressing is the lack of manpower. We can’t just rely on a dragon’s massive body for convenience within the forest… and…”
“If we take our time, couldn’t we manage it ourselves? All we really need is an easy-to-clean bathtub and a changing shed where clothes can be stored.”
“And a winding water channel to cool the spring to the right temperature. Ideally, we’d want to draw in cold water from somewhere nearby for easier adjustment…”
“That’s too much; we lack the specialized knowledge. Christie, haven’t you studied anything like that?”
“At least I haven’t trained in wielding a hammer…”
The three whispered their ideas back and forth. And the ears of the half-elf who overheard them were far more acute than those of humans.
“You seem to be in some trouble!”
“If it’s about Andy, you should call us!”
With a loud creak, the door swung open, revealing Selen, heavily pregnant and brimming with confidence, and Jeanne holding Peter.