Chapter of Ancient Labyrinth, Episode 4: The Room, Spirit, and Kakuni

My eyes opened in my condo, which was still dimly lit. I couldn’t hear the sparrows this morning, and the rain was sprinkling outside. The light leaking in through the curtains was darker than usual, and I began to hear a quiet chirping. It seemed the sparrows were getting cover from the rain on my balcony. I was playing in the labyrinth of a fantastical world not too long ago, but it all seemed like a dream now that I had awakened.

But, as if to prove that it was all real, silky white hair and long ears poked out from under the blanket. A pair of pale hands followed, which then grabbed onto me. The half-elf awakened with both hands on my shoulders, as if to pin me down. Still not fully awake, she rubbed her ears and looked at me with her eyes framed with long eyelashes. She had a youthful appearance, but there was also a distinct allure to her slender neckline. Her skin, which looked soft like cotton candy, quivered as she let out a cute yawn. She whispered good morning, and I was reminded again how she was a resident of the fantasy world. Her amethyst eyes opened slowly, and as usual, I was captivated by their beautiful color.

“Good morning, Marie. Did you sleep well?”

“Whenever I’m with you, I always sleep like a baby. Since when did we start saying our morning greetings in Japanese, anyway?” She looked at me with an amused expression, and my eyes widened slightly. I still noticed a slight accent in her voice, but she was speaking in near-perfect Japanese. It had only been a month since she wandered into this world.

“Do you feel like you have a grasp of Japanese now?”

“Yes, I do. It feels like I can find the words instinctively lately. Before, I had to think about and translate each word, but now, it’s like I make all the connections in my head.” With that, she stirred and placed her cheek against my chest. Her lightweight body was stacked atop mine, and I couldn’t help but feel happiness as she stared into my eyes. I looked up to find it was 6:30 in the morning. We had gone to bed pretty early last night, so we had time to enjoy a morning conversation.

“That should make things easier when we go to the countryside. After I come home from work tomorrow, we’ll be leaving in the following morning.”

“Hehe, I can’t wait. Aomori is full of greenery and mountains, isn’t it? After watching that anime, just hearing about the country gets me excited.”

I had it pretty good, being able to watch the elf girl from so close as she happily swayed her head left and right. Her usually intellectual face was loosened into a smile, her feet flapping adorably as she pictured the unknown lands. But honestly, I wished she’d be a little more guarded against the opposite gender and get off of my chest. I didn’t know how to react, as I could feel the swellings on her slim body pressed against me. Though, for some reason, I couldn’t find it in me to say it out loud.

“Maybe we should watch the anime again before we go, as preparation. By the way, Wridra said she’ll be going back to her own place tonight.”

“Yes, I heard her as I was falling asleep. That’s too bad, it was lively and fun while she was here. We only have shinkansen tickets for the two of us, so I guess for golden week, it will just be the two... of us...” As she trailed off, her dreamy eyes suddenly snapped open. She blinked, then looked at me with a displeased expression. “Is that fine with you? Personally, I don’t mind whether it’s just me going with you or both Wridra and I together, but what about you? I mean, there are things like meal fees to consider, right? I don’t know, but I thought maybe you’d be happier or find it more convenient if it’s just me.”

“Huh? Oh, I don’t mind either way, of course.” I answered the girl’s rapid-fire questions at me, and then she moved away with a frown. I wasn’t sure why, since I thought I was being agreeable. “Things are lively when Wridra’s around, and you’re unbelievably adorable. By the way, did you know there’s a saying that you’ll never forget an elf once you see them? Rumors aren’t much to go by, but I feel like this one is definitely true.” Marie was in the middle of getting up with her back toward me, but stopped mid-motion. Her ears perked up, their tips gradually turning redder.

“H-Hmph. I didn’t know humans had such a silly anecdote. I don’t know about me, though. Am I really so cute?”

“Huh? Absolutely. It’s hard to put into words, but you’re really cute, so you don’t have to worry about that. I’ve always thought so, at least.” She seemed to be listening to my words carefully, because I could see the tips of her ears quivering as she inched a little closer. I couldn’t read her expression with her back toward me, but she was fidgeting as if she was feeling a bit embarrassed. After making inexplicable movements for a short while, Marie finally stood up from the bed.

“Ahem. Well, aren’t you the smooth talker. Then I’ll forgive you, and I can’t wait for our trip, so try not to work too late tonight.”

“Understood. I’ll do my best to meet your expectations.” That was a request for my director and company, but with it being between the weekend and consecutive holidays, I wasn’t expecting too much work. Some people were using vacation hours to extend their days off even further.

“Then let’s hurry up and eat. Come on, it’s time for you to get up.” I let her pull me up by the hand to encourage me to wake up. It was already May, but it was a bit chilly from the rain. Marie stared at the sparrow out on the balcony from her seat at the table, then parted her lustrous lips.

“It’s so humid today. Does it rain a lot in Japan?”

“Next month is the start of what they call the rainy season. It’ll be even worse then. I’m pretty sure this country is on the higher end in terms of how often it rains,” I explained and gave the elf a sidelong glance as I began preparing breakfast. I cracked an egg into a bowl and thought over Marie’s words. Japan had a lot of dams, and it probably had a lot of water shortage problems since long ago. Although it did rain a lot, it was possible that there were issues with water reserves. It was a small country to begin with, and maybe all the water flowed down into the ocean. As I mulled over the thought...

“Ah! Look, look, Kazuhiho! Hurry!” The loud voice from behind startled me, causing me to drop the bread I had sliced into the bowl of egg yolk. I turned around in a hurry, then froze.

I could see something above the table. A white, nebulous something. Was it some sort of poltergeist? It was pretty terrifying, and I was snapped wide awake as a shiver ran down my back. A thick smoke seemed to be gathering there, and as I rubbed my eyes in disbelief, Marie’s voice rang out again.

“A s-spirit! Did I really summon one?!”

“Wha...? A spirit?!” I raised my voice in disarray. My mouth was agape, and I was having trouble closing it. After all, an elf had just called a spirit in the Koto Ward of Tokyo. Or, rather, maybe she was in the middle of summoning one right now. The plume of smoke slowly floated in the air, and then its shape began to become more clear.

Bloop.

The sound of something like water dripping could be heard, and a pale navy fish could be seen floating in the air. Yeah... I felt like being frozen in surprise was an appropriate reaction. They may have been a sight I was used to in the fantasy world, but I never expected to see something like that in Japan. Just outside the window was a view full of concrete buildings, and there was a definite sense of reality to it. Despite that, the water spirit flicked its tail fin, turning in the air and dispersing mist-like water as it did so. The intense gap between reality and fantasy was making me feel dizzy.

“Th-This is... Well, surprising to say the least. I feel like I’m seeing a hallucination here.” Finally, I managed to squeeze out some words of disbelief. I walked up to the table, and the blue fish was poking Marie’s finger. It was as if it was getting food from her. The elf turned her round eyes toward me, and I found that her cheeks were flushed.

“Umm, I called out to it in Japanese just to give it a try. The reason they haven’t been responding may have been because I was having issues communicating my words, or rather, my emotions.”

“Huh? The spirits talk in Japanese?”

She shook her head. According to her, the reason was as follows. In the fantasy world, spirits were the foundation of all things. They resided in plants, animals, and even man-made objects, and they were beings that weren’t bound by anything. But in fact, they were affected by certain things, too. For example, if a mountain was plentiful, the spirits would become more active, and when there was a big flood, the water spirits would overflow as well, so much so that they could be seen with the human eye, depending on the scale. In other words, spirits took on the characteristics of their environment.

“There are a lot of humans in Japan, right? I suspect that’s why they’ve been influenced by Japanese. More accurately, it’s the means of expressing emotions rather than the Japanese language itself.”

I managed to let out a weak “Huh.” I couldn’t deny it even if I wanted to, with a spirit right in front of me, so all I could do was nod. “It’s hard to believe, but I have no choice after seeing it in person. Is it okay for me to touch it, by the way?”

She gestured for me to go ahead. The fish was semitransparent and pale navy in color, and I could see the other side through its body. I gingerly brought my finger closer to it, and it poked my finger without shying away. The water that touched my finger was cool to the touch. I smelled it without thinking and found it had a refreshing scent.

“I wonder... Do you think there are skill levels in this world, too?”

“I wonder the same thing. I think that when I came to this world, I was basically reduced to level 1. That’s how it feels to me, though I’m not sure if that’s how it really works.” Nodding, I took a seat next to her... and then realized I was originally in the middle of making breakfast. It was very Japanese of me to prioritize getting ready for work, even though an event that had completely defied common sense had occurred. The bread had already absorbed much of the egg yolk by the time I returned to the kitchen, and I quickly fished it out with a pair of chopsticks.

“You did mention something like that before. I wonder if something similar happens to Wridra when she comes here, too.”

“In her case, she’s a legendary dragon, so I think there’s a lot more she would be able to do even at level 1. I’m not sure if the concept of levels even applies to her, though.”

I left the analysis to Marie as she nodded contemplatively. I put a frying pan on the stovetop, turned on the fire, and started cooking the egg-soaked bread. A sweet scent filled the air, thanks to the sugar I had mixed in.

“Sorry to interrupt your thinking time, but what kind of tea would you like?”

“Hmm, I wonder if there are high level people in this world too... Oh, I’d like lemon, please. I used to hate sour things, but I’ve been into citrus flavors lately,” she replied, then finally noticed the sweet smell in the air. Her appetite overpowered her thirst for knowledge, and she walked over to the kitchen where I was cooking. One thing that was different from usual was how she had a water spirit following her. It followed its master like it was a household pet. “Mmm, smells good. You’re cooking with a frying pan today?”

“Yeah, it’s almost done. I soaked it in egg yolk before frying it.” She made a curious noise and peered in, but I had to put the lid on to steam it. The scent grew faint after I placed the lid, and I started preparing the tea in the meantime. Then, I transferred it to a plate and moved it to the table along with some bananas, and breakfast was complete. I sat across from Marie, who had hurriedly taken a seat, and we put our hands together for the usual routine.

“Itadakimasu!”

Marie grabbed the tableware as if she couldn’t wait another minute and stabbed her food with a fork. The french toast covered in maple syrup tore easily as she bit into it. The sweet scent of the egg wafted out from the warm toast, and butter filled her mouth as she bit into it. It had soaked into the burnt parts, too, and had a deep, rich flavor. A smile spread across her face with her first bite, and I could tell she liked the flavor because I could hear her feet flopping around under the table.

“Nnaaah! So fluffy! The egg and butter and syrup’s sweetness soaked through and... This is really delicious! I can’t believe I’m having such a delicacy from the morning. Are you trying to use food as elf bait or something? Ohh, but this is troublesome. It makes me want to live in Japan, knowing I can enjoy food like this here.”

“Aren’t you practically living here already? At the very least, I’d be happy if you’d live with me.” When I told her so, her purple eyes went round with her fork still in her mouth. She slowly chewed the food in her mouth, then gave me an upward glance.

“...To be honest, I feel the same way. I feel like I’ve made myself at home here without getting your permission. But this is your house, and I was worried you might think I’m a nuisance.”

“Haha, I want you to spend time here without worrying about things like that. I don’t know if you can tell, but researching food that you like is my latest hobby. I’ve been planning on indulging this hobby forever.”

“Oh, I knew it! You’ve been using food as bait! Too bad for you, an esteemed elf like me won’t lose to food, sightseeing, or hot springs, and I can enjoy these things knowing full well what you’re up to.” She gave me a mock-obstinate look, and we both laughed. It was still raining outside, but it somehow felt like a cloudless, sunny day.

I felt a bit shy about saying it, but I really did want her to stay with me. Every day had been delightful since she had entered my life, and that went for both Japan and the dream world. We had shared meals, the hot springs vacation, anime, the labyrinth, and countless joys together. The girl put her fork down and reached her hand out toward me. I naturally took it in my hand, and our fingers intertwined on the table. I could feel her warmth through her pale, slender fingers. Looking up, I found that her cheeks were flushed, the pink standing out starkly against her light skin.

“Then, I would love to live here. From now on, my home is here in the Koto Ward.”

“Welcome to our condo. And that goes to the adorable spirit there, too.”

The spirit floating in the air shook its tail fin, scattering water droplets around it. Marie beamed with a contented smile and rubbed my hand with her thumb. This made me inexplicably happy, and we both laughed out loud. And so, this marked the day Mariabelle took residence with me in the Koto Ward.

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I looked out the train’s window to find it was well after sunset. I wanted to get home as soon as possible, but the train moved so slowly that it felt like it was hardly moving at all. A late announcement played through the speakers. Apparently, someone had dropped their luggage onto the tracks at some station. There were water droplets on the window from the rain still pouring outside. I could feel some of the humidity, but fortunately, there weren’t too many people inside the train due to it being the start of Golden Week. Thinking about it, it was a similarly relaxed day at work. My other colleagues at work were spending their time off going on vacation, relaxing at home, or going to visit their families.

I just have to finish my shift tomorrow, and I’ll be free at last.

This seemed to be the sentiment across the office, and there was a generally excited mood in the air. As for me, I was planning on riding a shinkansen to the Tohoku region. I usually spent my time at home every year, but this time around, my schedule was pretty full. I would travel on the shinkansen with the elf and spend a few days at my home in Tohoku. Just thinking about it got my heart racing with excitement. It had been a while since I’d gone back to my hometown, and I was looking forward to showing Marie around the land I grew up on. Now, if only this rain would stop...

Vrrr...

Just then, my phone vibrated in my suit pocket. It was a notification from my social media app, and the screen displayed Kaoruko’s name on it. She was a woman who lived in the same condo building as me, the one who had informed me about a vacation spot near the city. The trip I’d gone on there with the elf and draconian was quite fun, and we’d enjoyed the day trip to the fullest. I smiled and read her message.

“Would you be interested in some pork kakuni?”

I blinked in confusion at the sudden question. After sending some messages back and forth, I found out she had made too much of the stewed pork belly dish. Her husband, who worked at a government facility, had unfortunately gotten a sudden invite to a social gathering, so his portion had been left over.

“Kakuni does sound good...” I said out loud without thinking, then closed my mouth in a fluster.

I could have made it myself if I wanted to if I used the big pot I had, but it took a long time to stew, and the main ingredient was block meat, which didn’t come cheap. This meant I would only have the weekend as an option if I were to make it, but I wasn’t sure about making Marie wait the entire cooking time. That was why I really wanted time-saving tools, like a pressure cooker, along with some other cooking equipment. Enough about the circumstances of my kitchen. I had to decide what to do about the invitation. We lived in the same building, and it would have been a shame for the food to go to waste. I wanted to gratefully accept the food, but it would be rude to just take her food and then see her out. It would be better to have her come inside and thank her for the vacation plans she shared with me a while back. After thinking about it for a moment, I began writing my reply.

“Then how would you like to have a meal together? Marie would be thrilled, and I could make us some fried rice.” She replied back right away. Women sure were fast at typing.

“Really? Yes, I’d love to! I’ll come over with my pot!” There was an emoji indicating joy at the end of her message. I smiled, thinking it was funny how I could feel her delight through the text, and then my eyes met with a businessman standing near me.

Kakuni and fried rice, huh...

Yes, tonight’s meal was going to be a treat. I only wished the train would get moving. Contrary to how I was feeling, the train was moving at a shockingly slow pace.

I unlocked the door with a click and let out a sigh. Finally, I was home. I could adjust my shift hours with some extra effort, but there was nothing I could do about the train. My suit was looking pretty tired from the moisture, too. When I opened the door, I was greeted by warm air and noticed the scent was different from usual. Marie rushed over with a mischievous expression, then raised a finger in front of my confused face.

“Question time. What did I do today?”

My confusion only grew deeper. But as she took my bag, there was an air about her that was very expectant of compliments. I felt an involuntary smile creeping up on me as I watched Ms. Elf’s excited face.

“Let’s see... Did you do laundry? Wash the dishes?”

“Wrooong. Well, I did do those things, and I cleaned the house too, but I did something else that I haven’t done before. Do you know what it is?” Placing my shoes on the shoe shelf, I met her purple eyes.

Hmm, what could it be?

I removed my necktie as I looked around, not noticing anything out of the ordinary. It was odd how clean the air felt, despite this rainy weather.

“The clean air... Wait a minute.” I froze in the middle of removing my jacket. A transparent fluid was floating in the middle of the room, and I nearly let out a high-pitched squeal. I managed to stop it right before it escaped my mouth, but I was looking at what seemed to be liquid floating inside a spaceship. My heart was pounding in my chest nearly to the point of causing pain, but I was able to feign calmness.

“Hm, is it the water spirit you showed me this morning?” The half-fairy elf had learned to control spirits even when we were in Tokyo. It went without saying that any other human would’ve screamed if they were confronted with such a sight. Moving in a little closer, I noticed that pale navy fish was swimming at the center of the liquid mass. I turned around, and the spirit user was standing there with a proud expression on her face. “...Is the spirit absorbing excess humidity from the air?”

“Correct! Remember how you said it would get very humid starting next month? I experimented to see if I could do the opposite of what I did in the other world.” Now that she mentioned it, I recalled her adjusting the temperature by controlling vaporization. That was also surprising, but performing such a feat here in Japan was nothing short of astonishing.

Wait, isn’t this kind of a big deal? We could control humidity without air conditioning... which means we could save a lot on electric bills.

“This is amazing, Marie. If you can control humidity, you could make summer and winter a lot more bearable.”

“Hehe, isn’t it? I love managing and tidying things up like this. This must be my talent... Oh, what’s that you have there? Did you rent out a video?” Seeing the bag in my hand, the girl crouched down to take a look. The letters on the bag marked it as being from the video rental shop, but this was something I had purchased on the way home. I debated on whether or not to give it to her right now, then opened the bag toward her.

“Here, reach inside.”

“Huh? Wha? It better not be something strange. Hmph, you and that sleepy-looking smile.”

I seemed to have been smiling without realizing it. Marie seemed hesitant as she reached into the bag. There was some hard object inside, and once I confirmed she had taken hold of it, I slowly pulled the bag away. What emerged from the bag was a pretty-colored DVD package. A mysterious creature was looking up dazedly, hanging around in rainy scenery like tonight’s. The hand-drawn background had a distinct air to it that reminded me of picture books, and Marie could already tell a wonderful story awaited inside.

“Oh, this is...!” She looked up at me, eyes wide.

“There’s a rule that says you’re supposed to give special presents to hardworking elves.”

“Huh? Oh, you mean... This is for me?!”

“Of course. You can watch it whenever and however many times you want. I thought it would be better to just buy it rather than renting again. I hope you like it.”

In response, she threw her arms around my neck in an embrace. She let out an unintelligible noise of joy near my ear, and the unexpected strength behind it nearly threw me off-balance. I quickly supported her with my arms, managing to regain my balance in time. Then, her face was right in front of mine, beaming with happiness.

“Thank you! I love watching this one. I’m so happy!”

“I’m glad to hear that. I wanted to surprise you, so I actually bought something else for you. Do you wanna watch that with me after dinner?”

“Yes, yes! I’d love to! Thank you!” She gave me another full-force squeeze, and I was a bit taken aback by how happy she seemed. Seeing her so happy brought me joy too. The arms around me didn’t relent for some time, and I could feel her soft, white hair as she rubbed her face against mine.

A while later, she finally released me from her hug. I heard the doorbell ring as I was cooking some fried rice. When I looked up, I found it was already 7:30 at night, and I realized our guest had arrived just in time.

“Sorry, Marie. Would you mind letting Kaoruko in?”

“Sure, no problem. Leave it to me!”

Marie confidently bumped her chest with her fist, then covered her ears and lightly stepped over to the front door. Marie had been staring at the video package until now, and even though she couldn’t read it, she was in a visibly good mood. We were in a small 1DK condo, so the front door was right behind the kitchen, and I could hear Kaoruko’s voice clearly as the door was opened.

“Good evening. I brought over some kakuni.” I turned toward the gentle-sounding voice to find a woman well-prepared for dinner, holding a pot with both hands and smiling at Marie.

“Welcome. Please, come in.” Marie gestured for her to enter, and Kaoruko’s eyes widened.

“Wow... I’m impressed. Your Japanese has become so much better, Mariabelle-chan!”

“Hehe, I’ve been practicing a lot. But I still don’t know complicated words or text. I think kanji is pretty, so I’d like to learn them someday.”

Kaoruko had a look of great interest on her face. I was surprised, myself. It would normally take several months, or even years, to learn as much as Marie had. No one could blame Kaoruko’s reaction of openmouthed astonishment, considering this girl had learned the basics in a mere month or so.

Kaoruko was wearing casual pants, and I figured she liked wearing clothing that wasn’t too flashy. Her shoulder-length black hair had a sense of cleanliness to it, and she had an air about her that was fitting of her profession as a librarian. I continued cooking as I called out to Kaoruko, who was still standing there, dumbfounded.

“Please, come in. I haven’t had homemade kakuni in a long time.”

“Oh, please don’t expect too much. This is a family recipe, so I’m not sure if it will suit your palate.”

I received the pot from her and placed it on the stove. Kaoruko walked past me as I was turning the stove on to reheat the pot.

“Wow, this layout should be a lot smaller, but it feels so spacious.”

“Your room is a 2LDK, isn’t it? It might be because I don’t have a lot of furniture...”

I flinched.

When I turned around, Kaoruko was staring at the single bed, frozen in place. She had seen the two side by side pillows, and we both stood immobile in the same position. I had completely forgotten that Marie and I had been sleeping under the same blanket. But with the size of the room, it would have been pretty cramped if we were to put two beds in here. There wasn’t much I could do about that, though I actually looked forward to waking up together, and―

“...Kitase-san?”

I heard my name in a rather stiff tone of voice, and I looked up with a start. Kaoruko’s face was a bit flushed, and she was looking at me with an accusatory expression. I wordlessly told her I hadn’t laid a finger on Marie, but I wasn’t sure if my message got across properly. The pot on the stove was starting to boil over and clatter, releasing a sweet, enticing aroma. Marie’s head was cocked inquisitively at the awkward air between me and Kaoruko.

The kakuni, fried rice, sauteed Ching Guang Juai, and beer were placed on the table, and the ladies became much more lively. Marie was getting tea rather than alcohol because we had a guest, and she seemed bummed about that, as I had expected.

Sorry about that...

She helped me lay out the small plates, soup spoons, and chopsticks, and the preparations were soon complete. The kakuni sitting proudly in the center was the main dish of the night. The thick, succulent pork meat and fragrances of rice wine and star anise tantalized the senses.

“Ahh... It smells delicious...! It’s one of those dishes that makes you salivate uncontrollably, isn’t it?”

“The secret to enjoying kakuni is to open your mouth wide without worrying about how you look, then taking a big bite. Now, let’s dig in.”

We all said “Itadakimasu” together, and the girl stabbed the kakuni on her plate with unfamiliar chopsticks. The stewed pork meat was incredibly tender, the chopstick piercing it deeply with ease. It trembled softly as she lifted it up and brought it into her mouth. The girl seemed mesmerized by its appetizing luster and sweet aroma as she parted her lips wide. Her mouth closed around it, and the dense meat tore apart before she even bit through it. Maybe it would have been more accurate to say that it had melted. She was surely taken aback by the meat taking over her taste buds as it dissolved in her mouth. Umami filled her mouth, and a mixture of juices and the distinctly rich aroma of Chinese spices delivered a knockout blow.

“Mmmmmm...!!!”

She clenched both hands, so fully immersed in the torrent of flavors that she didn’t even notice the juices running down the side of her mouth. She chewed, releasing the flood of flavor, and the fatty meat lost its shape. The scent of star anise passed through her nose as she chewed, and the taste remained strong no matter how many times she chewed. The girl continued to chew with a surprised look on her face, and even after finally swallowing, she remained motionless for a bit.

“Yummy...”

Kaoruko and I smiled, seeing the look of astonishment on Marie’s face. She really was straightforward when it came to her reactions to food, and just watching her was a joy. Kaoruko turned toward me, grinning ear to ear.

“This is just wonderful. I wish I could be kakuni.”

Umm, maybe she’s a bit strange after all.

I had always assumed that Kaoruko was a strait-laced public service worker. Though, I had to admit, I sort of knew how she felt.

“Do you mind if I wipe your mouth, Marie?” I asked with a tissue in hand, and the girl looked at me with a dreamy expression. Then she nodded, still looking like she hadn’t fully returned from her own personal paradise. The tissue absorbed liquid as I pressed it to her face, and I felt a squishy softness that could rival the texture of the kakuni.

“Kazuhiho, I want to become kakuni.”

You too?

It was a strange thing to say, but I was starting to feel envious toward the kakuni’s popularity. I still hadn’t even started eating yet, but Kaoruko and I laughed out loud. As for the fried rice, I went light on the flavoring to make the kakuni really shine in comparison, so it paired perfectly with beer.

One beer turned to two, and Kaoruko’s face was pink by the time we finished eating. She leaned back in her seat with a satisfied sigh, and I suspected she enjoyed her meal even more than her husband, who was currently out at a drinking party.

“My family sent this meat to me from Hokkaido, where I grew up. As you know, my husband is a bit overweight. I was a bit worried about all the calories.”

“Ohh, that must be nice. I was born in Aomori, but I’ve never been to Hokkaido.” Kaoruko rested her flushed cheek in her hand. She was more expressive than usual, thanks to the alcohol, occasionally gazing at Marie and breaking out into a smile.

“Where are you two going for Golden Week, by the way?”

“We thought it would be a nice opportunity to visit my home in Aomori. I’m planning to go see my grandfather, who’s a farmer.”

“Oh, that sounds nice. Where in Aomori does he live?”

“It’s in the Hirosaki area.”

Kaoruko stopped to think, then pulled out her smartphone and started tapping at the screen. She seemed to be tipsy as she muttered to herself, then smiled when she apparently found what she was looking for. She presented the screen to me, and my eyes widened a bit.

“Then you would be missing out if you don’t visit this place. I’d definitely recommend it this year.”

Hmm, she might be right... If I could borrow my grandfather’s truck...

“Thank you. We’d love to go visit there,” I replied, and she drunkenly moved her face closer.

Then, she whispered in a low voice, “Yes, please have a good time with Mariabelle-chan. The trick to enjoying it to the fullest is to keep it a secret until you get there.” She drew away with a smile on her face. Her gentle expression really seemed to express her womanly beauty, and I found myself smiling along with her. The rain continued to pour outside, though it was expected to stop the day after tomorrow, according to the weather report. I was eager for the consecutive days off, but maybe this period of waiting was the most exciting of all.

“Was it good, Marie?”

“Hehehe! It was too good! If I was one to keep a diary, I’d probably fill a couple pages just writing about it. My stomach feels like it could burst!”

Apparently too full to get up, she gave me her impression while she leaned back in her chair. She complained that she would gain weight like this, but I seemed to recall her chopsticks not resting for even a moment during the meal.

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I handed the pot back to Kaoruko after washing it clean, and she smiled again. We had walked her to her room after dinner, and she was backlit by the light at her front door.

“Thank you for walking me back to my room. I appreciate it.”

“Not at all, thank you for the food. Let’s do this again sometime.”

“Thank you for the meal. The pork kakuni was so good, I couldn’t believe it.”

Kaoruko looked at me, then at Marie next to me, and laughed. Judging by how much her husband had to work, it seemed she ate dinner by herself often. But we had enjoyed a lively night together, Kaoruko’s face still tinged a bit pink from the alcohol, and Marie even gave her a souvenir from our mini-trip. It was no wonder she seemed to be in such a good mood. We bade each other good night, and I walked down the silent hallway with Marie.

It was a moonless night, and the rain was still falling lightly outside. I was staring at the somewhat cold-colored city lights when the girl reached out and held my hand. I turned, and my heart beat a bit louder in my chest. The beautiful girl was looking up at me in the rainy night. I didn’t know how many times I had been captivated by those straightforward eyes. Maybe it was more like I was in a constant state of captivation. The elf spoke with a sweet voice, making my heart falter.

“Can we watch a movie together?”

“Sure. I’m a bit sad that you won’t need a translator anymore, though.”

“Oh, did you think I wouldn’t need you anymore? But you’d still make a perfect back rest. You can also serve as a hand warmer on a cold night like this.”

Since when did I become a cushion to her? But I was glad to do whatever would make her happy. We finally started walking again, heading back toward my room.

The bed creaked as the girl climbed into it in the dark room. She placed a cushion behind her back and set down some warm tea on the table next to her, and the room turned into a dimly lit movie theater.

“This moment is my favorite. How about you?”

“I feel the same way. I think everyone feels excitement when something’s about to start,” I replied as I pressed a button on the remote. That also went for the consecutive days off coming up, since we’d both been harboring a sense of elation deep inside. I was worried we wouldn’t be able to sleep with so much to look forward to. Marie clapped as the movie began to play.

It started very quietly. The wind blew gently, and a girl lazily looking up at the sky noticed something and sat up. She began running toward an old and elegant house, and the story began to unfold. The story revolved around this young girl, about her growing up with her loving family and eventually setting out on her own. Marie watched worriedly and held my sleeve as the girl in the movie set forth on her journey.

“Will she be okay living all by herself? I hope some bad person doesn’t find her.” It seemed she was already empathizing with the heroine. There were many elves that never left the holy land of their forest. That was why there were trials for those who wished to depart, and parents would be worried for their children expressing the will to leave.

“Yeah, but it seems like this is what the girl really wants. What was it like for you when you first left your forest, Marie?”

“Well... I think I was very worried, but I was just as excited at the same time.” As we laughed together, the world within the movie was unfolding further. The film was showcasing the blue skies and deep-colored sea, and the elf let out an amazed, “Wow...” Marie’s legs started waving back and forth to the cheerful music, and she looked back at me with an expression that conveyed her complete fascination with how wide the world was.

“The city is so big and amazing!”

“Yeah, it’s very colorful and pretty. Would you like to live somewhere like that?”

“Of course,” Marie replied enthusiastically, her heart full of hope for the future like the girl on the screen. She was likely looking forward to the new life, new world, and the people she would meet there. But the girl’s optimistic outlook was shot down as she met harsh strangers out in the world. Seeing this, Marie’s expression grew darker.

“I think everyone could be a little kinder.” I knew I shouldn’t have treated her like a child, but seeing Marie pouting at the movie, I couldn’t help but pat her head. She must’ve been through the same thing. Having moved from the forest to the city and possessing the talent of being a spirit sorceress, she must have experienced much hardship herself. She leaned her head against me, then pulled my hand so it was resting on her stomach. It seemed she wasn’t joking earlier when she said she would be using me as a cushion. She scooted her butt a bit to find a more comfortable position.

“Can you trust kind people right off the bat? Personally, I think that they’re kind of scary.”

“You might be right. You gave me a terrible first impression, after all. I won’t let you forget... Actually, you should forget about it.” She pinched my thigh, which barely tickled, but I pretended it hurt and said, “Ow.”

The heroine in the movie was having a relatively rough time, but in my case, I’d been killed by Marie in the past. Wridra had the same reaction, too... Why was it that I had a tendency to get killed by women I had just met? Though, I could laugh it off because it all happened in the dream world. The girl in the movie never faced such danger, of course, and she slowly started to blend into the town. Come to think of it, maybe it was meeting people that broadened one’s world. A similar thing was happening in the movie, where the girl interacted with others, made connections, and built upon her world over time. But not everything was going smoothly. With each small pain she endured, she was also going through growth. Marie watched her protectively, her hand holding my sleeve the whole time.

“She’s so young, but strong. I remember crying in the alleys back then.”

“You’re a hard worker too, Marie. You’ve been through a lot, but maybe things calmed down for you after you began meeting people?” Marie turned and looked up at me. I felt drawn into her colorful eyes as they held my gaze. Her lips began to move, but she simply said, “Never mind,” and didn’t answer the question.

In the meantime, the heroine in the movie had crossed paths with someone new. It was a boy around her age, but Marie’s impression of him was quite strict, having been watching over and empathizing with the girl this entire time.

“I don’t like him. He doesn’t take anything seriously, and he doesn’t have an ounce of tact in him.” She turned her head away in a huff and puffed out her cheek in the same gesture as the heroine. I laughed involuntarily; Marie didn’t like that. Anyway, the boy was an important plot device in the story. The story had been about blending in with the town up until this point, but now there was focus on making connections with friends and the opposite sex. What surprised me was how drastically the first impression that he had left changed. The boy showed his sincere and faithful side, revealing his straightforward and honest nature, completely changing the heroine and Marie’s view toward him. Marie suddenly turned and looked at me, seeming to realize something.

“What is it?”

“...No, it’s nothing.” She shook her head and turned back toward the screen... What was that about? Something unexpected was happening to the other characters, too. They seemed to be cold at first, but they slowly started acting kinder toward the girl. They each had quirks and personalities that weren’t obvious when just passing by, and Marie’s eyes widened a bit as their individual charms were revealed.

“Wow, this world is getting so much livelier. I wonder why? It almost feels like I actually live there.” Just as she had pointed out, the city had changed before I knew it. Everyone was considerate of each other, and the girl had become accepted by them over time. “How strange... It’s almost like Kaoruko. My impression of her changes every time we meet. She was so kind today.”

“The same goes for Wridra. She was so hostile at first, but before I knew it, she was enjoying songs with you. I don’t think either of us expected to go on a trip to the hot springs with her.” Marie nodded, a relieved expression on her face. She seemed to be realizing what a blessed environment she was in. Her body was soft and warm against mine, and she let out a quiet breath as she rubbed her head against me.

Now then, it seemed Marie was starting to get used to how movies worked. After the introduction came the development, and there would surely be a turn and conclusion to follow. The story accelerated with an unexpected misfortune on an ominous night. Everything that had been built up to that point seemed to boil over, like the rise and fall of a rollercoaster, but the sudden drop came not at the beginning, but the end. If the heroine failed in her task, the town would be changed drastically. Everything she had worked hard to build up would vanish completely. Marie understood this and tensed up like the heroine in the movie, praying everything would work out in the end. Each time she turned around, she looked like she was about to cry like the heroine, and I smiled at her reassuringly. The rollercoaster that had been continuously accelerating had finally reached its finale. Marie let out a big sigh of relief as the people cheered under the clear, blue sky, and she let her body plop onto mine.

“That can’t be good for my heart. I felt like it was going to pop out of my mouth.”

“Yeah, I can still hear it beating.” Sure enough, I could feel her heartbeat through her sweat-soaked back. She spread her fingers and showed me her hands, which were similarly covered in sweat. She must have been pretty terrified. Although she was giggling, I saw tears roll down her cheek as she blinked. I put my arms around her from behind, and we watched the epilogue of the characters as the credits rolled by. We enjoyed the moment for some time later, and I noticed Marie’s tears had stopped. She placed her head on my shoulder and whispered quietly.

“How strange. People I wouldn’t have wanted to even be near in the beginning seemed attractive by the end. They weren’t just simply kind, and that somehow made them all the more wonderful. I think this story wanted to tell us that how we live our lives each day is what’s important.”

“Oh, that’s a sharp observation. What would you think if I told you there were novels centered around their daily lives?” I asked her, and the girl’s closed eyes opened. They were still wet from tears, and she wiped her slightly swollen eyes with her fingers.

“If there were such a thing, I’d love to read them, of course.”

“What would you think if I told you there’s one on that table?” Her light purple eyes widened, showing off their vibrant colors. Her lips parted, and she suddenly stood up with momentum. After shaking the bed as she got up, she ran toward the table on the other side of the TV. I got up slowly, walking across the flooring barefoot, then approached her from behind. “Did you find it?”

The elf turned around with a book in hand, then showed me its pretty cover. She jogged over to me in the dark room and hopped up to throw her arms around my neck. I stumbled, still stuffed from the meal we had earlier, but quickly held her by her waist so she was hanging off of me.

“Thank you! I’m also going to learn how to read for sure. Would you mind crouching down a bit?”

“Hm? What do you mean?” I did as she asked, and her feet reached the floor below. She tugged on my sleeve, which I took to mean she wanted me to lean down some more. I ended up in a kneeling position, and her beautiful face came closer to mine until my vision went dark. She held my head with both hands, and I felt a soft warmth blossom from my forehead.

Wait, this is...

Realizing she had kissed me, my cheeks started to grow hot. The complete darkness made my imagination work all the harder. Her soft lips changed in shape as they were pressed against my forehead. Marie stayed that way for some time, and I couldn’t move a muscle until she eventually moved away. She watched me from the front, and I was likely making a pretty funny face at the moment.

“In my world, this is how elves thank people who are very considerate. Did you know that?”

“No, I did not...”

Her puffy eyes narrowed as she smiled, revealing her pearly white teeth. It seemed I was powerless to do anything but be captivated by that smile of hers. I also realized that the teachings of elves weren’t all that bad.

That night, the pre-bedtime reading was to be with a novel rather than a picture book. Supporting her head with my arm, I read aloud the parts that she pointed out with her finger. With her incredible intellect, this method was enough for her to absorb and learn the language. Maybe she had carried over a memory enhancement skill from the dream world. But sleepiness took over as we laid cozily in each other’s warmth, and she repeatedly let out cute yawns.

“No, no, it’s not my fault. Your voice is making me sleepy. I want to read more, but... yawn...” Her finger tried its hardest to keep pointing at the letters, but it precariously wavered like a ship veering off course. Then, with her finger pointing at the far distance, she drifted off into sleep. Trying not to wake her, I slowly removed the book and placed her head on a pillow. The bookshelf was becoming her personal collection. I placed the blanket up to her chest and noticed her scent wafting in the air. Her light, rhythmic breathing made me smile involuntarily. I had no choice but to be kind to the elf who had given me so many moments of happiness like this.

Good night, Ms. Elf. We’ll pick up where we left off tomorrow.

When I spoke those words, the voice that echoed in the room sounded kinder than I had expected.