Chapter 66

"Well, from today, Diana has become part of our family."

As I announced after returning from the city, applause broke out. It was only Semia and Rike who clapped, but that was everyone except me. Since there were no objections, I felt relieved.

"Let me introduce myself again. My name is Diana Aimur. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, Diana."

"Nice to meet you, Diana-san."

Diana and the two exchanged greetings. Since we had been living together for about two days, there was no awkwardness. However, Rike and Diana had a conversation that caught my attention.

"Hey, it went well, right?"

"Yes, just as Rike said."

Huh?

"Hey, what do you mean by that..."

"It's a secret of a maiden. Right, Diana-san?"

"Right."

It seemed Diana had become close to Rike at some point. It's a good thing, but I also felt a tinge of loneliness... Oh, right.

"Diana, wait a moment."

I called out to Diana, returned to my room, took out the item I wanted from the cupboard, and went back to the living room.

"Let me give you this."

"What is it?"

"It's my 'special' knife. We each have one for self-defense. It's like a symbol of the family."

Diana took the knife with sparkling eyes and examined the blade.

"I'm sure you've seen how sharp it is, but it's incredibly sharp, so be careful when handling it."

"I understand. It's very beautiful."

"Right! This knife is one of the master's finest works!"

For some reason, Rike was proudly boasting, puffing out her chest. Semia was smiling with a look of exasperation. Diana's smile added to the usual scene, which made me very happy.

I prepared dinner that day. Wine-braised dried meat, unleavened bread, root vegetable soup, and wine. It was a celebratory "feast" to welcome Diana into our family.

"Still, the food Aizou makes is the best."

Semia said with a sense of nostalgia.

"Is that so?"

"Yes. While the master was away, we took turns cooking, but none of us could match the master's taste. I used to cook at my family's workshop too."

Diana was looking away, so she probably hadn't cooked herself.

"Then, it's a good thing I'm back, isn't it?"

"Especially when it comes to food."

Rike chuckled. Everyone laughed, and the conversation at the Aimur residence's dinner party turned to the dishes we had eaten.

The next day, after finishing the morning chores like fetching water and having breakfast, I brought up the topic.

"We have a week's worth of stock for the general models, right?"

"Yes. We continued production even while the master was away."

"Then, we have enough to supply."

"We helped out, so there's quite a bit in the workshop."

"Good. Then, let's start building a new room today. For Diana."

"Is that okay?"

It was Diana who asked.

"Whether it's good or bad, you're family now, so it's better to have the same room as the rest of the family, right?"

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. I'll need your help too, Diana."

"Of course."

And so, the plan for the next week was decided.

It paid off that we had been securing wood regularly. We had enough to build two more rooms. On the other hand, if we built two rooms, the wood would run out. So, I first used an axe to cut down trees around the house to secure more wood. I had been cutting them down bit by bit, so the yard seemed a bit wider. I would need to clear the stumps and plant new trees eventually.

While I was cutting wood, the three of them were working on leveling the ground and setting the foundation posts for the new room. Rike had done this before, and since all three of them were stronger than the average person, the work progressed much faster than before. However, there was one thing that caught my attention.

"Why are you working on two rooms?"

Indeed, the work clearly looked like it was for two rooms. Since the purpose this time was to secure a room for Diana, one room should have been enough.

"Considering Aizou, the family will probably grow again."

"No, that's not going to happen..."

I was about to say "no," but I hesitated. After all, Semia, Rike, and Diana weren't part of the plan either. If something unexpected happened and the family grew, it would be better to have the extra room ready now rather than adding it in a rush later. It made sense.

"Maybe we can use the extra room as storage..."

When I agreed, Semia sighed and returned to her work.

For the next five days, we spent our time building the new rooms. We woke up, finished our morning chores, worked on the rooms, had lunch, continued working in the afternoon, practiced with Diana before dinner, and went to bed after dinner. Thanks to our previous experience, the work progressed smoothly, and by the fifth day, it was almost complete. The corridor that used to end at a dead end now extended, and two rooms with the same appearance as Semia and Rike's rooms were lined up. However, the rooms still lacked doors and furniture.

"You can really do it."

"Indeed."

Diana, who hadn't participated in the previous construction, seemed particularly moved.

"Tomorrow, we'll install the doors and beds, and it will be complete. The day after tomorrow, we'll deliver the products to Camiro, and Diana will come too, right?"

"Yes, of course. It's the family business, right?"

"We're blacksmiths. We have beastmen, dwarves, and even a noble lady, but it's still a blacksmith run by a stubborn old man."

"What a strange blacksmith."

Diana chuckled.

"Well, I can't deny that."

I responded with a wry smile.

This, too, was one of the new "usual" scenes that had become part of our family.