For some reason, I was scolded by Maribelle for placing the kotatsu in my own room.
Apparently, it was going to make cleaning difficult.
Well, if it’s just that then they could tolerate it.
Winter was still getting colder, after all.
Thinking so, I returned from the living room to my room, only to be surprised.
「Wha!?」
「Sorry for the intrusion nya.」
There, I saw Lulu-chan had come into the kotatsu placed at the center of my room. She was also lying down lazily. She was like a true cat.
That wasn’t all. The Cat Sith sisters Miri and Lala, as well as the Catkin siblings Wappa and Sara were also there, occupying the kotatsu.
「……isn’t this a cat festival now ?」There were some eating the mandarins in the basket, some were lying down like Lulu-chan, and were just doing what they want.
Well, cats definitely liked kotatsus, but I guess Cat Siths and Catkins are basically cats……
As to be expected, I felt hesitant squeezing in with the kids and going into the kotatsu, so I spoke and left the room.
「You can’t sleep in the kotatsu.」
「「Yes nya!」」
「Understood.」
If I remember correctly, Laeva did say that she was making her own kotatsu.
I knocked on the door to Laeva’s room.
「Yes, who is it?!」
「Laeva, it’s me.」
「Please come in, the door is unlocked.」
At Laeva’s permission, I opened the door to find her inside the kotatsu and writing some ideas down, Marnie was there with Flora on her lap, Maria was cradling Haruka, and for some reason, Laeva’s familiar Seru was deep in the kotatsu.
「…………umm, sorry for the intrusion.」
I turned about and headed to the living room.
When I sat down on the sofa, Maribelle served me some tea.
With timing and consideration like this, the other maids were no match for Maribelle. She was a real veteran, I have nothing to complain about.
「Fuu, the living room isn’t even cold.」
「Takumi-sama, is something the matter?」
Was she lulling Etoile? Sophia was alone in the living room.
「Ahh, the kotatsu in my room was taken over by Miri,Sara, and the others.」
「Ah, that home heater. It seems quite popular with the Catkins and Cat Siths.」
「The target audience was too little, huh?」
I considered making a kotatsu for my room in the Volton mansion, but the thought of being in a kotatsu alone in Volton was too sad, so I gave up.
Eventually, the kotatsu in my room was liberated after the children went home for the night.
「Fuu, tea is delicious.」
I was enjoying some dried, thinly sliced noshimochi and toasted okaki alongside some green tea.
It really felt like back in the old days in Japan.
I was still alone in the kotatsu even in my room at the Sanctuary mansion though……
It was then that Akane and Lulu-chan arrived.
In Lulu-chan’s hand was a basket of mandarins. Akane was carrying a teapot and teacups.
「Sorry for the intrusion nya.」
「I brought seconds of tea.」
「You’re back.」
Lulu-chan laid down on her stomach, eating mandarins as she began reading a book.
After Akane steeped enough tea for her and I, she ate my okaki and started sketching winter designs.
Okay, I think I understand why Maribelle disliked the kotatsu.
It makes people a bit, no, quite lazy.
A heating device that corrupts people.
It could be dangerous if time in it is not limited.
「Hee, so cats do really like the kotatsu.」
「Yeah, I never thought my kotatsu would be occupied.」
「Lulu also likes the kotatsu nya.」
Lulu-chan’s tail swayed as she spoke while lying down.
「Isn’t it fine to sell kotatsus in the Sanctuary shops?」
「Will it sell?」
「Lulu would definitely buy it nya!」
「O-oh, is that so?」
Lulu-chan raised her hand with voracity. She did that still lying down though……
「You’ve made one, so it’d be easy to make it with alchemy, right?」
「Well, I can make it, but the quilt is impossible.」
「Can’t the person who bought the kotatsu make it themselves?」
「That could work too. Considering the structures of the housing in the Sanctuary, I don’t know if there would be much demand for kotatsus here.」
「I think it will be with the Cat Siths and Catkins, at least.」
Let’s think of it that way.
I should send one as a present for Miri and Lala’s home, as well as to Wappa and Sara’s. In doing so, they wouldn’t stay around in my room.
「Okay, I’ll make a few.」
I psyched myself up and left the kotatsu, then transmuted 20 sets of kotatsus in the workshop.
I brought them to a store straight away, then to the kids’ houses as presents. There was no quilt cover, so I also handed a thick, large square cloth.
The next day, there were additional orders for kotatsus.
It appears the kotatsu really is well accepted by certain people.
Previous | TOC | Next
Up to 5 advanced chapters are available on Patreon.
Footnotes: