Epilogue: The Return
“Kurt, thank you, for saving this village. I sincerely thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
The next day, Colt and I stand in front of his mansion and face each other. He faintly smiles. Other than us, Tina and Chloe are here as well.
“I just did the labor for the sake of obtaining the best fruits, as a pastry chef, as well as for Tina’s sake. Besides, I couldn’t save anyone with just my power. Without your determination and support, we would still be in a deadlock.”
That’s not humility speaking, I truly feel that way. I could put it into practice, only because Colt came to the rescue.
“Even so, thank you. As I promised, I’ll send over a tenth of a year’s worth of harvested products from this village every year.”
I scratch my neck. I feel like he just said something weird, actually……
“A tenth of pinal fruit, right?”
“Don’t tell me you thought that I’m that petty? It’s a tenth of all the food products in this village. Paple, Ramama, Yona…… and other things grown in this village, all of them will be sent over to you. And the weed you called “kudzu”, you can carry as much as you like.”
Paple is the grape-like fruit, Ramama is the rice-like plant. It’s the first time I heard about Yona, but, it must have been just as wonderful as the others. They’ll certainly become the weapons in my pastry export.
“It’s an incredibly attractive offer for me, but is it really all right?”
Strictly speaking, there’s a lot of things to receive. So much that I feel guilty over it.
“Since they’re the portions that will only turn into fertilizer, there’s no problem. With the water from elven magic arte, the harvest is always plenty.”
It’s the surprising advantage of having a steady supply of water to grow the agriculture, but to achieve that kind of result. I’m quite jealous.
“Then, I’ll gratefully accept them. It’s only that I feel that I’m receiving too much, so I’ll be sending over some products this way too. The spirit village has a lot of wonderful products, but there are many wonderful things in human towns as well.”
“Yes, I’ll be looking forward to it. Delicious pastries are good too. That transparent pastry that you made, Kurt, is the most delicious thing I’ve ever tasted.”
“To be told to that extent, I’m really happy. Next time, I’ll be treating you to other different pastries.”
Our eyes meet and we laugh. It’s about time to depart. I feel reluctant, but it’s time to end the talk.
“Kurt, you’re going now, right? It’s okay to stay around for a while, though?”
“It’s not possible for me to do that. I also have my own territory to look after.”
I’ve been absent from my village for a while.
There are things I’m worried about. We have to prepare for winter, and I need to arrange the real export of the pastries. Other than inventing the recipes, I need to do all sorts of things from laying the groundwork for Marquis Fernandes’ previous arrangement and other things. I have to do them before the snow starts piling up, making it impossible to cross the mountain.
“I see, such a pity. I’d have like to show our grat.i.tude in a huge celebration, initially.”
“I’m happy to receive such feelings. When the opportunity arises, perhaps.”
My talk with Colt thus ended.
Before setting off from the spirit village, I should confirm it one last time.
“……Tina, is it really okay?”
I ask Tina at my side.
I already talked about it with Tina yesterday, but I wanted to know about it in this place too.
“Yes. I’m returning to Arnold with Kurt-sama. I think that this village is a great place too. But I am Kurt-sama’s partner, my home is in that village.”
Tina looks bashful.
If Tina wished so, I told her that it was all right for her to stay in this village. She has blood relatives, and it’s a prosperous village. She’ll be happy.
However, Tina chose to be by my side.
“Thank you. Tina.”
“What’s there to be thanked for? I’m just, I wish to be together with Kurt-sama.”
Fl.u.s.tered, Tina’s face turns red.
She’s determined to choose me. I absolutely have to make her happy.
“Chloe, you too, is it okay? You don’t have to push yourself for nothing.”
“It’s not for nothing, not at all. The others [only want to eat pastry]. But, from the start, I’m the one who invited Kurt here as the doctor, and asked you to cure my mother. No matter how I looked at it, I’ve broken the rules. That’s why it’s natural for me to leave the village.”
Chloe says so with a cheerful voice.
“I wronged you, it seems. Sorry to make you lose your village.”
If I was a bit more careful, Chloe wouldn’t have to leave the village at all.
“H, hold on for a second. I’m kidding, I’m just kidding. It’s not because I broke the rules or anything, really. Colt-ojisan said that it would be good to have an intermediary person with Kurt, so I stepped forward as the candidate. I’m going only because I want to go! You see, now I can eat more delicious pastries than the ones in the spirit village!”
With a faint blush on her cheeks, she goes on and on in her fast speech.
It makes me feel a bit relieved. I don’t really like the thought of forcing someone.
Having Chloe with us is a huge help. To procure a long term supply of the fruits, having a mediator is indispensable. Besides, Chloe’s water magic arte is useful in various things. There’ll be circ.u.mstances when I’m going to need her help.
Tina grabs my hand and squeezes it tight while looking at Chloe.
“I won’t give him.” She whispered so.
“Ahaha.”
Chloe dryly laughs while having cold sweat.
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I put my hand on Tina’s head and pat her in any case, making her eyes narrow in glee.
☘
And the time to depart finally arrived.
We’ve already packed our belongings. There are many young elves and lunars from the spirit village here. Those are the personnel arranged by Colt. They all carry a huge basket on their backs with lots of fruit inside. The three of us can’t possibly bring all those fruits, so we have them to take care of it. Furthermore, it seems that they’ll stay with Chloe in Arnold for a while. According to Colt, they are obedient and hard working.
Up to the spirit village’s gate, there are many villagers around.
In terms on giving them the medical treatment, I’ve been forceful. It wouldn’t be strange if there are villagers who resent me.
They open their mouths. I put myself on guard, a bit.
However, the words they actually speak out…….
“Thank you, niichan.”
“The pastry was delicious.”
“You saved us. You’re our life’s benefactor.”
One by one, they shower me with warmth in their words. I feel my eyes stinging hotly.
“Bring this with you, it’s the rice wine that I brewed.”
“This is jerky that’s just been nicely dried. Bring it as a present to Kurt’s village.”
“These are first cla.s.s pinal. You won’t see any pinal in the village that can top these.”
“Our cheese is a masterpiece!”
One by one, they shove their small presents to me.
The rice wine, the wild boar jerky. A remarkably huge pinal. Delicious-looking cheese bundle. And other things.
My luggage is piling up into a mountain.
I’m glad. I could properly convey my feelings to them.
I had to politely refuse the things that I cannot carry with my hands. Then, until they are out of my sight, I keep walking while looking in their direction.
“I’ll definitely come back! At that time, I’ll treat you to other delicious pastries, okay!” I shouted.
By no means will I come with the excuse of saving the village again.
I vow to do so from the bottom of my heart. I’ll definitely come again. Next time, let’s let them enjoy a simply delicious pastry without any medicine nonsense.
From the village, I could hear words–we’re waiting, you absolutely have to–among others.
With that, my journey in the spirit village has come to an end. In this village, I obtained my pastry ingredients as well as lots of more wonderful things.
I’m glad that I came here. I truly think so from the bottom of my heart.