I talked and drank tea with Reiru-san and Sienna-san while waiting for Selene.
From their perspective, they suddenly became conversation partners with a noble from another country, so they looked constantly on their toes, worried if any of their actions were coming off as rude.
"This tea is amazingly delicious! Also, try Baretta's sweets too!"
"T-Thank you. Oh wow, you're right, it's delicious."
"The tea is made from Roselin tea leaves from your country. And the sweets are scones with jam made from local fruits."
But their tension which was like a jumbled knot was unwound when they tried the tea and sweets and faced the cheerful aura of Teto. And when their tension came off, I asked them many things and got to know about Lyle-san and Anna-san's situation.
"So, Lyle-san and Anna-san have already passed away."
"Yes. Even from our perspective, they were very close... or rather, they were completely under Grandma's thumb."
"We were saved by Lyle-san in the past."
The person in question might have believed it was them who were saved, but they were the first people I had met in this otherworld.
They guided me to the town of Daryll and taught us about money and basic common sense, which I was grateful for to this day.
"I see, I didn't know the connection."
"Yes, that's how it was. So, I reflexively thought you were him when I saw your nostalgic face."
I said that and turned to look at Teto and Sienna-san who were excited about the snacks only to see them filling their scones with jam to the brim.
Teto chose a bright red strawberry jam while Siena went with a dark purple prune jam.
I felt a strange connection when I saw their choices of jam.
"What kind of lives did your grandparents lead?"
"My grandfather used to be an adventurer, but later accepted the invitation of the Margrave family to be a knight after marrying my grandmother to raise my father."
Through that connection, Reiru-san and Sienna, their son and grandkids, served the House of Margrave Reebel.
"My sister, Sienna, has a talent for healing magic, so she is under the direct tutelage of the Madam."
"There are often injured people appearing in the Margrave House due to the demon-infested region and the territory bordering other nations nearby so I am striving hard to become an excellent healing magician."
Sienna energetically answered, but there were remnants of the scone on her cheek from when she was eating though which made the scene rather endearing.
"I see, so Selene is teaching you about healing magic, huh? I guess that makes me your grandmaster."
"T, That's—!? I'm honored!"
Siena wore a somewhat awkward and embarrassed expression, seemingly uncomfortable with being treated like a grandchild by someone who appeared younger than her.
As we were having such a discussion——
"Both of you seem to be having fun. I'd like to join in too."
" "M-Madam!" "
With a smile on her face, Selene, who had changed into a dress, entered the room. As she gracefully took her seat, one of the maids on standby served her tea.
Her movements were truly exquisite, reminding me of how much she has grown from the little girl she once was.
"Well, l would like to hear how Selene's doing."
"Of course, Okaa-san. Let me tell you about my beloved husband and children."
After Selene got married, she received the love of her husband, Margrave Reebel, and apparently had four children together.
"They're all so cute, but we were in a dilemma on how to raise them at first. My husband and I have been thinking of a solution together. We do know that we have to uphold the pride of a noble, but we also want them to have the freedom to live their lives. I wonder if Okaa-san and the others felt the same way?"
"Yes, that's true. Parenting dilemmas never seem to end."
We nodded at her words and listened to her story.
Though Selene seemed to have something more to say, she took a momentary pause before concluding her narrative,
"Would you be willing to meet my husband and children if I bring them here someday?"
"Of course. I'm looking forward to meeting your children."
"We'll welcome you with everyone and prepare delicious food for them!"
In the past, I chose to part with Selene due to circumstances and our status, but now, the situation surrounding us was no longer the same and I was really glad to be able to meet and have a tea party with her like this again.
After discussing our reunion and our current lives in a harmonious atmosphere, Selene then asked a question, accompanied by a short silence.
"Do Okaa-san and Teto onee-chan have the intention of getting in touch with the outside world?"
I calmly nodded at her question.
"Well yeah, I don't plan to shut ourselves in our own little world. Though whom I am going to interact with is a different question."
I didn't have time to entertain the people who came in to take advantage of the «Empty Wilderness».
I wanted to pass the management hassle to someone and take out some time to go on another trip with Teto.
"Among the people you would like to associate with, can you add our Margrave Reebel house?"
Selene should have an understanding of this place as she was raised here. Many world trees were growing here. Enchanting a tool with magic was a piece of cake with my enormous mana capacity. And the number of medicine herbs I grew for compounding was also substantial.
Even if there were other things she hasn't ascertained yet, she should have been able to guess this world didn't lack people who would want to come to this land for the items created through my «Creation Magic».
By recommending her place, she would become the mediator introducing the people to each other and sorting out the greedy ones.
By doing so, we could minimize interactions with troublesome people while maintaining a moderate level of engagement with the outside world.
And the Margrave Reebel House, too, would be able to get priority for the items that could be obtained from this land by becoming the intermediary of the «Empty Wilderness», and would also be able to obtain a negotiation stake for dealing with other noble houses and nations.
It was a mutually beneficial relationship.
"Well, alright. The king must have judged Selene, who knows me, to be a better option to take the role of a mediator than relying on incompetent nobles. However, the position of the mediator will not be an eternal one."
"Yes, I know. Even if everything went well under the watch of me and my husband, there's no telling if our child or grandchild will do something untactful to Okaa-san. Please don't hesitate to sever our relationship when that time comes."
Along with her physical growth, I could also feel her mental growth as well for her to speak so bluntly.
At the same time, I also realized the connection between me, who would probably continue to live for eternity, and the successive generations, both of which could never be everlasting ones.
Just a bit, but this realization brought a sense of melancholy to me.
