Sakuya and Reina have gotten closer thanks to that friendly love talk.
They’re walking while happily chatting, and it’s the kind of atmosphere that makes it hard for a guy like me to join in.
And since I’m left out, I’m turning to Snow and Luna.
They’re crouching, looking like they’re watching ants or something, so I approach them from behind and talk to them.
“What are you up to?”
“Ah, daddy!”
“Fuguh…”
The moment I get near, Snow smiles widely and hugs me.
She’s been getting a little stronger recently, so her tackle kind of works.
That said, I’m her father. It’s my duty to stop her tackles with a smile on my face.
“Can Luna too?”
“…Come on!”
“Yay!”
Luna’s tackle is even stronger than Snow’s.
That said, I was ready this time, so I don’t budge. And now each is dangling from one of my arms.
“Ooh!”
“Yay!”
Are they happy about that? Snow climbs on top of my shoulders, and Luna on my back.
It must be quite the sight for people looking on from outside…
“What were you doing?”
“Looking at that!”
Snow responds and points.
There’s a metal that I recognize that’s parallel to the ground, and only peeking its head out.
It has a suspicious green light, well, eyes, and looks really out of place.
“…Mister Giarth, what are you doing?”
“…!? I am just earth.”
Is all he says before he sinks into the ground.
All that’s left where I’m looking is the perfectly paved road, without any traces left.
“…”
“Gramps!”
“Hahaha! That was weird!”
The two girls holding on to me laugh as they look at the ground.
I focus a little hard on looking, and see the self-proclaimed earth moving in the ground really fast, but let’s leave him be.
He’s already gone from my search range.
“We should be going soon, you three.”
““Yes.””
Reina calls out to us from in front of Sakuya’s house, and the two kids respond energetically before running there.
“I’m going too.”
Let’s pretend we didn’t see that. I mean, the idea of a grandfather stalking his granddaughter doesn’t sit too well.
“My brother should be coming back soon, so I will prepare dinner.”
Sakuya says as she takes us to a room that feels like a ryokan.
We can look down from the mountain if we look out the window, and the big spring and streets look really beautiful with the setting sun reflected on them.
“We’re here!”
Luna immediately lies down on the floor, and Snow snuggles up in Reina’s arms, who is sitting on a flat pillow.
Sakuya is preparing dinner, so it’s just us here.
“It feels calming.”
“Yes. I like this atmosphere too.”
The house itself is made out of wood, and has a nice old Japan feeling to it.
It feels like it has a little more of a cultural flair compared to the houses in the divine beast people’s village, which are also made out of wood, and also feels more familiar to me.
“It’s interesting how every race has its own way to live.”
Says Reina.
“Yes, that’s true.”
Thinking back, the alfar have a completely different way of life.
That said, divine beast people and demon gods have contact with each other, and they live relatively close, so it’s a little strange how different their cultures are.
Maybe it’s innate to them.
“Ah…”
I look outside the window, and see a group of people gathered by the entrance.
It looks like Gyes and the others are back.
I’m guessing from how visibly excited they are even from here, that today’s fight ended well for them.
“Now that I think about it, doesn’t Gyes already know the name of his ancestor?”
“Are you asking if he doesn’t have to go up the mountain?”
“Yes. According to Sakuya, they’re supposed to do that once they know the name of their ancestors.”
It’s like proof that they’re adults.
Presently, only Gyes in the demon gods, and Graham and Tiltue in the ancient dragons know their ancestor’s names, but can they keep going like that?”
“Maybe Gyes is still at an age where he wants to run wild…”
“Well, people around him are aware, so I’m guessing they don’t mind?”
“I guess that’s right, Reina.”
Gyes was hiding it because he wouldn’t be able to stay if they found out. That problem was solved when I beat them, but if it really was a problem with the customs of this village, it would’ve been better to keep it hidden.
“Daddy, mommy, is it a hard talk?”
“No, not really. We’re just talking about wanting to be with friends.”
“Snow, you want to be with Katima and Tiltue too, right?”
“Yes! Snow loves them!”
I pat Snow’s head, as she shows an innocent smile, and the sliding door is opened, before Sakuya comes in with a small smile on her face.
“Everyone, dinner is ready. It seems my brother is not here yet, so let’s start without him.”
“Are you sure? I saw him from the window just now.”
“Yes, or you will be eating late.”
I guess it would be fine for me and Reina, but the kids are probably hungry.
“Well then, sorry Gyes, but let’s go ahead.”
“Yes, this way.”
We are taken to a table that’s already set. There’s rice, grilled fish, miso soup, nori, and a small salad.
This is so Japanese that it makes my eyes go wide.
Ahh, it’s nice.
It’s a hometown flavor for me. I haven’t had it in a while, but this mood in the air is still a wonderful one that reminds me of that.
“I hear Miss Reina is a master at cooking. I hope you enjoy it…”
“M-master is going too far.”
“Daddy…?”
I’ve been staring without realizing it, and Snow, who is sitting next to me, is looking up at me with a puzzled expression.
“Ah, sorry. I just felt a little nostalgic.”
It’s not like I want to go back to Japan. After all, this body was given to me by god when I reincarnated here. This feeling most likely comes from the old me, my soul…
“We had similar food where I came from.”
“This is daddy’s?”
“Not really mine, but it’s the kind of food from where I came from.”
Snow is staring at my food. You can just look at your own.
“Eh… So this is what your hometown was like…”
Says Reina as she looks at the food in front of us with a serious expression.
Come to think of it, where Reina lived, people mainly ate bread instead of rice.
Does the continent where she came from resemble Europe?
“Of course, it’s just that they look…”
“Sakuya, can you tell me how to make this later?”
Asks Reina, speaking over me, and Sakuya just smiles.
“Reina?”
“My cooking tends to be very seasoned and flat… I’m not really good at this sort of thing, and I want to have a bigger repertoire. That’s it.”
“I see.”
The way she spoke fast and sounded like she was saying an excuse makes me feel like I’m not being conceited by thinking this is probably about me.
I’m happy about that.
“Mommy’s food is always good.”
“Right?”
“Fufu, thank you, you two.”
Snow and Luna jump in, just as the atmosphere is getting a little weird.
“I like your cooking too.”
Thinking back, Reina’s cooking really tends to be well seasoned and strong, as opposed to food on this island, that tends to be very ‘as is’.
That’s tasty too, but from the point of view of people from this island, who tend to be very physically active, the strong taste of Reina’s food is probably better.
Well, that’s that and this is this.
If you asked me if I don’t like this sort of Japanese style cooking, I’d say I want to enjoy it as a hometown flavor.
“Here I go.”
But just as I’m about to start eating, the sliding door opens behind me.
“Fuhahahaha! I’m back Sakuya! Oh, you’re all about to eat too! Then I’m also…”
“Go wash your dirty body in the hot spring first.”
I guess this was another fierce fight, because Gyes’ body is covered in dust.
And Sakuya is releasing a pressure I haven’t felt from her before.
“…See you later!”
I guess this back and forth is nothing new to them, and Gyes leaves like he’s running away.
That uproar lasted only a second before it went right back to being quiet.
“Hum…”
“I’m sorry for the noise. My brother will be back soon, so please relax in the meantime.”
The kids don’t seem to mind anyway. They’re already eating.
“T-a-s-t-y!”
“It’s good!”
Reina and I smile for a moment as we watch them, before grabbing our chopsticks too.
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Thanks for the treat.