Chapter 48

Tohru and the Festival is the forty-eighth chapter of Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon.

Summary
Kobayashi attends a festival with Tohru.

Plot
Kobayashi notices a poster of a festival and decides to go with Tohru, pondering whether to buy a yukata or not. She notices that people are already decorating for the festival, and Tohru among them. Tohru explains the people from the shopping district asked her to help out, which Kobayashi thinks means they have a lot of faith on Tohru.

Even though Tohru doesn't know what the festival is, she thinks its a nuisance. Kobayashi points out she saw Tohru smiling earlier but Tohru counters that she knows Kobayashi walks through there and thought about how the lanterns would shine on Kobayashi, which Kobayashi thinks is poetic.

Kobayashi asks if Tohru is doing something for the festival and Tohru says the maid cafe will have a stall so she will be helping out. Kobayashi thinks about how Tohru is thriving, getting along with people, gaining their trust, helping them out and going above their expectations which is probably very east for a dragon to do.

Kobayashi is glad about it but wonders if she deserves the adoration of Tohru even though things are different now that Tohru no longer causes trouble but it makes her feel lonely.

Kobayashi arrives at the festival with Elma, Kanna and Illulu, which Elma says is the only constant in both worlds, which prompts Kobayashi to ask what festivals were like in the other world. Elma starts listing the different foods until they notice Tohru serving at a nearby stall, claiming their omurice is the best in town. Kobayashi asks why Tohru isn't wearing her maid outfit which Tohru explains that they're difficult to move in and tells Kobayashi she'll be done in an hour. Elma tells Kobayashi that her festival usually celebrated the gods, which Kobayashi knows is very similar in her world as well.

Illulu comments the festivals were always so well guarded that dragons and monsters couldn't get near and start talking about festivals in their world, leaving Kobayashi out of the conversation making her feel left out. Lucoa arrives with Shouta and joins the conversation about the other world with the rest of the dragons while Kobayashi asks Shouta if he likes Lucoa, surprising him. Kobayashi asks how he would feel if Lucoa got close to one of his classmates or friends but apologizes when she notices his intense blushing telling him to forget about it knowing how he feels and starts walking away.

Kobayashi meets up with Tohru right when she was going to look for her and Kobayashi asks about the yukata, which the maids gave to Tohru telling her to wear it and Tohru thinks they are good kids. Tohru notices the rest for the girls chatting but Kobayashi stops her from going, wanting to be just the two of them for a while. Tohru jokingly asks if Kobayashi has succumbed to her charms and surprises Tohru when Kobayashi answers yes. Kobayashi says Tohru can get along with anyone and there isn't anything Tohru can't do do as she's been wondering whether its okay for Tohru to admire her and decided it is okay the way things are now.

Kobayashi asks Tohru what she thinks to which Tohru responds she loves Kobayashi and thinks she is better that humans, which sounds prideful but she is a dragon that comes from a place where they put everything on the line and lives and dies with that superiority but Tohru doesn't feel superior in her heart, asking herself if she is superior in fighting, beauty or smarts which is why she was always trying to be what she wished to be, an adult, but thanks to Kobayashi her heart is finally at ease. Kobayashi gets embarrassed when Tohru tells her she is happier because a human was able to save her. She will always love Kobayashi forever and ever while Kobayashi smiles and tells Tohru to dial back the words a bit. Later, Kobayashi wonders if she'll wear her yukata next year.

Characters

 * Tohru
 * Kobayashi
 * Kanna Kamui
 * Ilulu
 * Quetzalcoatl
 * Shouta Magatsuchi
 * Elma