Chapter 23
The G.o.dKami-sama Likes Tea During the afternoon after confirming the abnormal growth of the potatoes . Under the midsummer sun that poured its lights incessantly, Kazura’s forehead was sweating as he dug a hole with the shovel . That hole was located beside the stone pa.s.sage that leads into j.a.pan . It was for burying the skeleton corpse that was inside the stone pa.s.sage . Since he came to this world, he didn’t have time to properly give the skeleton a proper burial, but since the progress of the waterwheel production had gone with such a high pace, there was empty time in the schedule . So he decided to use that time to give the skeleton a proper burial . Even if Kazura didn’t supervise the parts manufacturing, the villager that took leadership during Kazura’s absence would simply take over the duty . [1]
「Maybe like this . . . . . . Aaah . . . . My back hurts . . . . . . . . 」 (Kazura) Kazura had dug a hole wide enough for him to lie down inside it . He stabbed the shovel in the ground and stretched his body . Maybe it was because recently he had walked for a long time while carrying heavy things, loading and unloading large amount of fertilizer or rice from the pullcart, that his back was hurting . Because he did physical work every day his physical strength increased . Thanks to ma.s.sages from Valetta that he sometimes received, the pain was lessened considerably . But because his back was burdened by the work from digging the hole, it became hurt again . After burying the corpse, today he planned to return to go buy things in j.a.pan . Kazura also thought to buy some compress[2] on that occasion . Kazura rubbed his back while letting out a sigh, and then crawled out from the hole that had the depth of a bathtub . Then, the next thing to do is bury the corpse, so he thought while walking until he reached the crumbled skeleton in the pa.s.sage . However, the skeleton body had disjointed parts, so it was necessary to transport the bones one by one . In addition to this, he didn’t brought gloves so he had to grab the bone with his bare hand . 「 . . . . . . . Well, is it good to do it bare handed?」(Kazura) Even if he brought vinyl sheet or gloves to carry all the bones together, somehow or other he had a hunch that he would get a punishment if he did that, so he decided to transport it with his bare hands . Even if by any chance the police found this place, the bone was so weathered that it would be likely deemed to be something from years ago, and even if they decided to investigate it, it was unlikely that they could arrest anyone . Of course, because it seemed that this place hadn’t drawn much public attention for a long time, perhaps there was no need to be worried about police . On any case, since it was the first time for him to touch human bones with his hand, Kazura became nervous, but as he kept doing it, gradually he became used to it . Eventually he transported all the bones with both of his arms . After he finished carrying all the bones to the hole, he arranged the bones into a human body shape . Since he didn’t really have detailed knowledge about human skeleton anatomy, he put the bone on the wrong area here and there . However it couldn’t be helped since the person himself didn’t notice it . When he finished arranged the bones, he put the worn-out j.a.panese clothes on the corpse . After that, he covered it with earth carefully and the burial was complete . 「I think it’s okay with this . I will return with incense stick and sake, so please wait . 」(Kazura) After he said this, he joined his hand to pray and bowed in front of the freshly made grave . He then turned his foot towards the pa.s.sage that connected to j.a.pan . ✦✧✦✧ 「Lemongra.s.s, rose hip, orange peel . . . . . . . also hibisicus . Should I buy them? Let’s also buy some blended ones . 」(Kazura) Kazura, who had returned to j.a.pan, came into an herb shop in the suburbs . Although the only reason he came to this place was because this shop was the closest according to the internet investigation with his phone, but the small shop, that was using a traditional wooden house, also had a nice atmosphere . The crowded exhibited herbs inside acrylic bottles really matched with the shop’s ambience . Moreover, the opened window showed the suburbs scenery of abundant refreshing greeneries . The wind that sometimes blew from the window was quite comfortable . It seems they sell the herb that they had grown themselves, so the sample that Kazura received, a chilled herb tea with hibiscus, was really refreshing and delicious . Besides herbs, there were also aroma oils in small bottles or gla.s.s pots, in addition there were books about herbs, what a complete set of plentiful products to sell . Kazura himself likes herb tea, before he escaped to his current residence in Gunma, he frequently bought and drank the blends for himself, so he was glad to have come across a shop like this . 「Excuse me, I want to purchase some herbs, also, could you prepared them[3]?」(Kazura) After he finished drinking the sample tea, he returned the cup to the register desk and called to the young woman employee with long black hair . Since there was no other employee, that woman might be the shop manager . 「Yes, what kind of herb do you need?」(Employee) 「Umm, lemongra.s.s, rose hip . . . . . . 」(Kazura) Kazura requested the herbs that he had chosen and also several others to the woman, and she distributed each of them into 30 gram pieces . Depending on the kind of herb, each 30 gram of herbs in this shop had the average cost of about 600 yen[4] apiece, so the price was quite expensive . Afterwards, as he was paying the price for the goods at the register, herb seed bags that were displayed on the counter catch his attention . 「Hmmm, seeds huh? . . . . . . . Umm, do you sell herb seedlings?」(Kazura) The woman answered Kazura’s question with an apology . 「We are sorry, but we don’t have any seedlings to sell, but if it’s seeds . . . . . 」(Employee) She took several of the herb seed bags that were exhibited and arranged them on the counter . Every bag had a “200 yen” price tag pasted on them . 「Uum, seeds, right? What should I do? . . . . . . 」 He had previously promised to drink herb tea together with Valetta so he had came to buy herbs, however he thought he could use this opportunity to experiment many other things using the herbs . If he brought herb seedlings to that world, put the fertilizer on the flower pot, and it had a sudden growth just like potatoes of Grisea Village, then this confirmed that there was some sort of dramatic transformation happened with the things that he brought from j.a.pan . But if on the contrary no change occurred, then that meant there was no special change happening on the things he brought from j.a.pan, and in that case he could judge that the cause of it was something originating in the plants or people in that world . [5]Why Lipo-D and rice’s wonderful effects not show their effect on Kazura? He thinks perhaps the cause of this was something on that world people . Kazura, who went to that world, didn’t feel anything like being bestowed with any special power worth mentioning, so his conjecture might be right . If we a.s.sume that there were transformation on his genetic or const.i.tution so that he couldn’t receive any blessings, then Kazura’s body might be altered with reverse-cheat[6] . He wanted to investigate how much the poison he could drink before his body gave up, but he rather not doing it . It didn’t really matter if he couldn’t bring the herb seedlings because he could raise the seeds instead, but the change on the growth would be more apparent on the seedlings . Nonetheless, if the shop was not selling it, then it would be unreasonable if he forcibly requested them to sell it, so even if it only the seeds, he decided to buy it . 「Well, this also okay . Could I buy one of each seed that you have in here? Also this gla.s.s pot and one book . 」(Kazura) 「Thank you very much . Ah, but, if you still thinking about buying herb seedlings, you can buy them at Home Center . The seeds are also cheaper and the variety is more diverse . 」(Employee) The woman stopped collecting the seed bags, and telling something that she just rememberedAlthough Kazura though that she just wasted a chance to sell her goods by saying those words, but judging by her expression she plainly said it without any intention behind it . [7] 「Hmm . . . . I still want to buy the seeds, and I’ll buy seedlings at the Home Center later . 」(Kazura) 「Oh, thank you very much . This is just a memo that I wrote in about the methods of raising my herbs, I will be glad if you could use it . 」 The woman smiled delightfully as she put a copy of the ill.u.s.trated memo of methods of raising herbs and several herb seed bags into a larger paper bag . The ill.u.s.trations inside the memo were all hand drawn . Like this, Kazura purchased pots and seed herbs . To buy herb seedlings and the other daily necessities, he went towards the usual Home Center . ✦✧✦✧ Kazura arrived at the Home Center[8], at which he was a regular customer, and went towards the Gardening Corner . At that Gardening Corner there were many flower and fruit seedlings . They also sold the herb seedlings that Kazura was looking for . Whilst Kazura was still browsing the herb seedlings, one of the clerks half-running towards him . On his chest was a nametag that spell 「Manager」 .
「Shino-sama[9], what goods do you need for today?」(Manager) 「Eh? I want to buy herb seedlings . . . . 」 (Kazura) Although Kazura was surprised for a moment since his name was being called by the manager, he thought that the manager remembered his name since he had purchased large amount of farming tools and fertilizer . Because he didn’t plan to purchase any large amount of goods, he was somewhat troubled by the manager’s expectation . 「Herbs, is it? The only ones that are ready to purchase are the herbs that are lined up in here, however . . . . If it’s necessary, it’s possible to order it in a large amount by the end of tomorrow」(Manager) 「No, I don’t need that large of an amount . Two or three pots will be enough . 」(Kazura) Although the manager’s expression showed a little disappointment because of Kazura’s words, he immediately recovered and began explaining the displayed herbs in detail . Because Kazura wasn’t raising the herbs with the intention to turn them into herbal tea and drink it, he questioned the manager about what kind of herbs seedlings would be easy to raise and had the Manager recommend seedlings for him . As the result of explanation about this and that, he decided to buy peppermint and lemongra.s.s both being st.u.r.dy and having strong fertility . Additionally, he also purchased flowerpots to grow the seed in, and also bags of soil for growing the herbs . And although these things are unnecessary for growing herbs, the next thing he wanted to purchase was incense stick and sake . Though the incense stick could be bought at Home Center, it didn’t sell any sake . Because of this, he went to the supermarket where he had previously purchased large amount of rice . When he arrived at that store, he went towards the alcoholic section, and put 2 bottles of not-so-famous sake into the basket . From the 2 bottles inside basket, Kazura thought to bring 1 bottle to the village’s chief[10] as a souvenir and also as an experiment . Even if he had never seen any alcoholic drink in that world, but he thought that it might exist . He would be troubled if the human in that world suffered terrible effect if they intake alcohol, so for the time being he decided to only bring 1 bottle . If they couldn’t consume alcoholic drink, then he would give both bottles as grave offerings . He also put incense sticks in the basket, and with this he believe that it was time to pay for it at the register when he incidentally happened to catch a sight of the Medicine Corner . After hearing the villagers’ story this morning, he had thought about the medicine a bit . Maybe just like Lipo-D, the medicine might exhibit amazing efficiency, so if he had some close at hand there wouldn’t be any drawback . If he was really careful on the drug dosage, it seemed there wouldn’t really be any problem with carrying it . For this time, he decided that he would test their effect in curing diseases . For that reason he tossed several common cold medicine and herbal medicine into the basket while confirming their efficacy description . Additionally, he put 3 pure white teacups, ointment for injury, bandage, and gauze into the basket . To pay for the goods he went towards the register . ✦✧✦✧ At the time the sky was dyed with a beautiful sunset color, Kazura with the purchased goods arrived at the residence deep inside the mountains . With shopping bags in both of his arms he stepped across the threshold to another world like usual . After he arrived at the stone pa.s.sage, he went to the grave that he had made previously . He opened a bottle of sake and poured a little of it on the grave, burned the incense sticks, and united his hand in prayer . 「I am sorry that there is no tombstone, however, please wait a little longer . Next time I’ll bring something to make it . . . . Would it be good if I bought some flowers? I am ashamed . 」So he said and then bowed to the grave that was only a round piled up soils, before he walked out of the tree groves that lead to the village . While following the marks that had been put on the trees, he exited the tree groves . Thinking that Valetta and others might be still continuing their work, he went towards the lumbering spot . But on the background, under the shade of trees, there was one small figure of a person . After that person confirmed that Kazura couldn’t be seen anymore, he came out from the tree’s shade and looked at the tree groves while tilting his head in confusion . 「 . . . . . . . That’s strange, I am sure that Kazura-sama came out from his place, but . . . 」 (Colts) It was Colts that came out from tree shade . He looked at the inside of the tree groves while groaning unsatisfied . After Kazura entered the tree groves on noon, Colts followed behind him and entered the tree groves by himself . However, despite firmly seeing the back of Kazura while walking the tree groves, before he knew it, Kazura’s form had already disappeared . And more incomprehensibly, when he kept walking through the tree groves and exited, what he saw was the village he was familiar to . He had returned back to his original place . 「That Anchan[11], no matter what, I can’t see him as a G.o.d . But since everyone in the village said no to ask him directly, how would I know about it? . . . . . . But since he disappeared in front of me, then maybe he is really Greysior-sama? . . . . . 」
Colts usually heard from his own parents and the adults villagers that they absolutely wouldn’t let Kazura notice that the villagers recognized him as Greysior, so Colts was warned until his ear went numb . The adults were worried about Colts’ mischievous behavior and had given warnings to him, however the more Colts was warned, the more he want to check Kazura’s true ident.i.ty . Thus, he had followed Kazura together with Myra before, but he still couldn’t grasp Kazura’s true ident.i.ty . This morning, he had wanted to invite Myra, who had came back from Isteria, to once again follow Kazura . But when he began to talk to her, all she talked delightfully was about the story of the journey (mainly many stories about Kazura) . So Colts gave up inviting her, lest she not only refuse the invitation but might also become a hindrance to him . Although he wanted to ask Kazura directly about his true ident.i.ty, the adults warned him to absolutely never do it . According to the adult, if Greysior’s true ident.i.ty was exposed then he would disappear from the village and never show his figure again – however, Colts was dissatisfied by this answer . For as to why he didn’t accept that was because what the adults said was drawn directly from a legend pa.s.sed down from ancient times in Grisea Village . “Greysior must not aware that his true ident.i.ty had been recognized” that part of the legend’s content was problematic . The content of the Legend of Greysior that Colts knew never mentioned that part about “If Greysior’s true ident.i.ty was exposed, he will disappear . ”This was the rough content of the legend in the village: ✦✧✦✧ “A long time ago, when the country named Arcadia was not as large as present . The various villages in this region were struck by prolonged drought that was followed by a severe famine . In addition, the feudal lord who ruled this region didn’t change the crops taxed from the usual amount and took all remaining food from the villagers . It was a situation where the village might perish from starvation . At that time a man arrived while wearing strange clothes in the village from some unknown place . That man saw the disastrous scene on the village, and from somewhere he transported plenty of food and water, made porridge and distributed it to the villagers, and rescued them from death by starvation . The villagers greatly thanked that man, and the village came back to life . However, this story was heard by the surrounding villages and they rushed to this village wishing to be saved . To save the gathered villagers, that man promised that he would bring a lot more food without fail, and disappeared to someplace . Several days pa.s.sed after the man disappeared, the people on this village distributed the leftover porridge made by that man to the gathered villagers, and somehow they could continue living . Mysteriously, even a small amount of the food made by that man increase their body vitality, so a lot of starved villagers were able to be saved . Several days later, the man returned to the village with a wooden cart with a lot of food in it . The gathered villagers were overjoyed and came greeting the man, however the feudal lord, who had heard the rumor about the man, appeared, accompanied by a large number of his retainers . That feudal lord was a greedy and evil person . He captured the man and confiscated the whole cart of food . Furthermore, with rope fastened on his neck the man was coerced to show the place where he had brought the food . The man expression was very sorrowful, thereupon the rope in his neck was unfastened, and he ran to the forest on the village . The feudal lord was enraged when the rope was unfastened and stabbed at the man numerous times with the sword in his hand . However the man magnificently nimbly evaded the feudal lord’s sword . When he arrived at the forest in the outskirt of the village, he suddenly disappeared like mist, and afterwards he never appeared again . Curiously, the feudal lord and his retainers that tried to capture that man, immediately after that man vanished, succ.u.mbed to mysterious illness and died several days later, and the village was liberated from his tyrannical rule . Furthermore, after that feudal lord died, rain immediately poured down and ended the drought . Everybody was certain that man was the G.o.d of Benevolence and Harvest, Greysior-sama . The rumor said that the feudal lords and his retainers had committed a great sin to a.s.sault that man, so they received divine punishment and died . ” ✦✧✦✧ So that was what the legend said, the part about “Greysior true ident.i.ty and so on” didn’t get mentioned at all . The forest in that story were the tree groves in front of Colts’ eyes, however everyone in the village considered the tree groves as sacred, so they had a custom to absolutely not fell any tress in that place . In the past, there were some imprudent fellow who just like Colts tried to enter the tree groves, however, even if they walked straight ahead, they would experience a phenomenon where for some reason they returned to the tree groves entrance . Because of this the villagers held that place as sacred even more . Today was the first time Colts had stepped inside the tree groves . If it was before, then while he was curious about the mysterious thing, his fear was greater, so he wouldn’t enter the tree groves at all . However, after living together with him in the village for 20 days, he was getting used to see Kazura’s figure entered the forest and his fear was fading . Mustering his courage, he pursued Kazura and entered the tree groves . However, the result was what he had seen . Colts was loitering inside the tree groves when suddenly at evening Kazura exited the tree groves while carrying luggage with nonchalant look on his face . Colts had no idea what had happened . Afterwards, Colts was staring at the tree groves while groaning for awhile, however he noticed that there was no-one in the surrounding, and immediately became afraid, so he hurriedly ran back to the village . ✦✧✦✧ The evening of that day . Like usual Kazura ate his dinner with the village chief’s family . After that they boiled hot water in a small pot on the hearth . He used herbs that he brought from j.a.pan to make herb tea for the two people .
While waiting for the water to boil, he distributed several of the herbs by measuring it with gla.s.s pot to make a blend just like what he liked to drink in j.a.pan . Some herbs tend to easily release their aroma, so he carefully not to crush them and then put them inside the pot . 「Woa, so this is herbs[12] . Is it some kind of medicinal plants?」(Valin) 「Yes . It was made by drying gra.s.s or flower petals with good aroma . Besides tea, they can also used in cooking and are good for the body . 」(Kazura) Valin was viewing the unusual herbs inside the bag, before Kazura gave him a bag of lemongra.s.s . Valin received it and opened the bag a little . From inside it, he sniffed a sweet scent and his expression turned pleasantly surprised . 「 . . . . . . . what a unusual smell . 」(Valin) As Valin said those words he handed over the bag to Valetta who was peeking from his side . After smelled the same scent Valetta was also surprised . 「Though you can enjoy it as it is, the scent is lacking, but after extracting their flavor with hot water you can enjoy their scent better . 」(Kazura) From inside the paper bag that Kazura brought from j.a.pan he took out several kinds of herbs . While displaying them, he explained about their taste and efficacy to Valin and Valetta . Valetta was listening to Kazura’s explanation while opening the book about herbs that Kazura bought together with the herbs . She compared the ill.u.s.tration while nodding in comprehension . While they were doing this, the hot water boiled, and finally the herb tea could be made . 「This is made from my favorite combination, if it doesn’t suit your taste, please said so, and I will make a different tea for you . 」(Kazura) As Kazura said that, he poured the hot water from the small pot to the gla.s.s pot . The herbs inside the pot were lemongra.s.s, orange peel, hibiscus, and rose hip . The poured hot water spread through herbs in the gla.s.s pot, which started to release their characteristic color into the water, the red color from the hibiscus immediately gaining domination, however . Eventually the hot water in the gla.s.s pot was h.o.m.ogeneously dyed with a vivid red . 「Woa, it’s really beautiful . It’s just like the color of the herb tea in the book . 」(Valetta) With brightened eyes, Valetta was looking at the hot water inside the gla.s.s pot that had slowly turned red . Valin also looked inside the pot and leaked out a voice of admiration . 「Actually, the type of herbs used in the book are a little different . 」(Kazura) Kazura waited for awhile for the herbs in the pot to simmer and have their essence extracted, after which he poured the herb tea into the white tea cups he purchased from supermarket . 「Please take a sip, I hope it will suit your taste . 」 Valetta and Valin received the teacup from Kazura . Their cheek loosened by the scent that rose from the cup . It was a different scent from the dehydrated herb, the smell was really nice . 「Itadakimasu . . . . . hmmm, a little sour but it’s delicious!」(Valetta) 「Yes, this is tasty . It sour like dried plum, but the sourness is different . Also what a nice smell . 」(Valin) Seeing that both of them drank the herb tea and said that they enjoyed it, Kazura was relieved . He really wanted their first time drinking the herb tea to be an enjoyable experience, so he glad this had turned out well . 「Oh, is that so? I’m glad . Since there are various types of herbs, depending on the combination we could have various tastes and smells . 」 Kazura said that to both of them while tasting the herb tea . However he thought it would be better if he had brought honey since he personally liked it sweet, and so he scratched his head .