Lily's Big Adventure
Part 1
— [TheUnderground City, Underwood], Eve of the Harvest Festival.
As time passed, it was three days prior to the rehosting of the Harvest Festival.
The [No Name]’s Senior Group were helping out with the hosting preparations as a favor for having extended the invitation of the Harvest Festival to them. And today, Lily, who was appointed as the commander for the Senior Group, was running errands in the Underground City.
Lily and Kirino were transporting a basket when a cool breeze swept through the Underground City, disturbing the Great Tree’s branches and leaves in its passing.
“Kya!”
Due to the wind, Lily’s kitsunemimi[29] were pressed against her head as she gave a startle cry in surprise. Pressing on her hair accessory which added a bonus to her fine features, Kirino the dryad gave a laugh as she walked alongside Lily.
“The winds that blow down into [Underwood] are quite strong. Be careful ne, Lily.”[30]
“Mhm. Thank you, Kirino.”
*Beishi*Her kitsunemimi perked up. The duo carefully rearranged the messed up ingredients in the full basket before making their way towards the designated location for the ingredient delivery errand in their swaying smock-frocks[31]. The basket was filled with many cobs of corn and pumpkins that were contributed from individuals involved in the Harvest Festival. The fragrance of the freshly harvested corn from the fields made Lily’s spirit soar in happiness and her steps made a merry pitter patter on the pavement.
“The corn looks really delicious right~? Are we cooking it in the Harvest Festival or roasting it?”
“I heard that the night time stalls are going to roast it. They are to be grilled on the wire rack after the stripping of the corn silk and husk. This is because Garol-Tairo[32] has said that the freshly harvested corn would surely be sweet and tasty.”
“Is that so~? This really makes me look forward to the harvest festival~”
*Beishi*Her kitsunemimi perked up in joy.
Breaking into a run due to their uncontainable excitement in anticipation for the Harvest Festival, they quickly arrived at the location for the delivery.
—Despite the fierce assault of the Huge Dragon on [Underwood], the Harvest Festival is once again ready to be re-hosted, thanks to the nearby Communities who have come forth with materials for the relief and revival efforts. However, even though it is said to be nearby, but the next Outer Gate in this vast place called Little Garden would already be a world away. Due to that reason, it has also resulted in a non-uniform array of relief materials and food.
Take for example, in the water-rich place of [Underwood], wheat is both the staple food and the popular grain of production. But corn is a grain that loves a drier climate and it is an ingredient that is only cultivated in small amounts in the neighboring lands. Then why would there be such a large amount found in the Harvest Festival?
That is because these ingredients were all harvested by a Community located three Outer Gates away, in the midst of the wilderness, and donated to the Harvest Festival of [Underwood].
Besides being a source of food, corn is a grain which could also be utilized as a source of oil. Therefore [Six Scars] had also signed a contract to import from the different donors. The other party would surely be happy as well about getting the new contracts.
Although it might seem like a devious plan to try taking advantage of another’s plight to donate for the sake of engaging in commerce, the advantage of receiving such donations and having relations established with the other Communities of far off lands is much weightier in proportion. Hence, that is the agenda behind the delivering of donated relief items to Communities damaged by the wars with Demon Lords.
This is an indispensable wisdom for one to prosper in this vast world of Little Garden.
(Ah, but what a pity. If only the fields of [No Name] were complete, we could have also provided scrumptious rice to the list.)
Though Lily might have a merry skip to her steps, she was still a little disappointed that they missed a chance to make a debut in the Harvest Festival. After all, the food ritual that came in the form of the Harvest Festival was the best stage for them to showcase their daily efforts.
Being a Herald divine beast of the Uka God of grains, it was her truest wish to participate as a Host.
However, Lily immediately dismissed the thought as she clasped her hands together.
(But, now I must hold it in. That sort of selfishness can wait and be done after repaying my debts to Izayoi-sama and Kuro Usagi Onee-san.)
The farmlands of [No Name] had indeed started its recovery of fertility. Lily had once given up on it with the thought that the lands would not be usable ever again in her generation. However, it was a different matter now.
The fields of the [No Name] are likely to be capable of supporting a swaying golden yellow sea of grains in the following year.
“……HeHe”
“Is something the matter?”
“No, nothing. Let’s quickly send the basket over……Kyaah.”
Thunk! It is not known who collided into her rear end and it caused the corn and pumpkins contained within the basket to fly and scatter on the road.
“Oh my, sorry Lily. I didn’t notice where I’m walking.”
It was Sakamaki Izayoi, who stood at the place where the ingredients were to be offloaded.
Lily frantically picked the ingredients up and waved her twin tails while bowing her head.
“Sor, Sorry! It was me who did not notice you……"
“No, it’s okay. Just get the basket over quickly…… yeah?!”
"Izayoi-san why are you at the ingredient drop-off storage point?”
“Mhm~, just a little bored. It’s rare to have the opportunity to use any kind of ingredient so I was just entertaining the thought of whipping up a little something. It has been a long time since I last cooked after all.”
Saying that, he bit into the apple picked from the food storage, tasting to ascertain its flavor.
Lily widened her eyes in surprise.
“Iz, Izayoi-san can cook?”
“Oi. Although I have left the preparation of meals to you guys during my stay in Little Garden and did not have much chance to enter the kitchen, but I have been living alone initially. Moreover, that old home of mine also had a cyclical shift system for the house chore of cooking. You could say that I’ve already done most types of house chores even when I was just a little brat.”
Izayoi replied nonchalantly while looking through the mountain of ingredients for his selection.
In contrast, Lily’s small mouth was agape as she stood in a daze. For the members of the [No Name] Senior Group, Izayoi was the main force of the Community and he was one of the key personnel of the hub that the Community was established around.
He, who could take on opponents on the level of Demigods and Deities to be actually capable of helping out in house chores? Lily was seriously taken aback.
“Izayoi-san…… Wouldn’t you have felt unsatisfied by that sort of life?”
“What are you referring to?”
“I mean, Izayoi-san is a really amazing individual. Your strength is for the purpose of taking on beings on the level of the gods, and not for handling only a kitchen knife. Yet, those people have simply asked you to handle the house chores and such……”
Lily’s ears drooped as she puffed her cheeks.
From the “simply asked you to handle” phrase, it must have been a misunderstanding that Izayoi was forced into doing work that did not suit his capabilities.
Izayoi, who picked up on that underlying misunderstanding, couldn’t help but to smile bitterly.
Although he did understand what Lily was trying to say, but it was a fact that the world of Little Garden and the Outside World came with a different set of cultural values. The structure of the societies were also vastly different.
In Little Garden, those with power were to depend on those without power to live. But that isn’t everything. Even after winning lands or obtaining water sources, there was still a need to utilize the workforce effectively.
To be victorious in the face of battles with Demigods and Deities, only individuals who can utilize various Gifts are able to survive the encounters. And age and strength did not matter. To effectively utilize the workforce of powerful individuals and the powerless. That would be the culture of the world known as Little Garden.
But it was different in Izayoi’s world. Regardless of one’s talents, children were to be brought up by adults and they would not learn how to be independent until they were out into the society. Even though compulsory education may include some pointers on living, it was still unable to equip one with the practical knowledge and skills. Especially in Japan where Izayoi had lived in, it was in an excess of material comfort where exceptional talents were easily substituted with modern equipment of the civilization. His personality that should have taken effect in the society was hence exposed to the atmosphere of decadence[33].
The era where evil deeds go unpunished.
The eager voices of the common man calling for equality.
Celebrating the equality of mankind when it is actually unable to have it achieved even in oneself.
Japan, the country that relies on the monitoring system amongst neighbors to successfully regulate crime and generate crime, he had already deemed it to be a boring place even before Canaria’s arrival. “The civilians who hope for their ideal society (Utopia), but yet the civilians who create the management system in society (dystopia). It was truly a rare example.”—And that was a nicely arranged and straightforward summary of the situation.
If Izayoi with his absurd talents were to be presented to the world in that sort of country, it is without a shred of doubt that he would be seen as a troublesome fellow. That is something that even Izayoi did not want to encounter.
After all his personality was one that was merciless towards his opponents. Regarding those puny weaklings that are influenced by the workings of the world to become his enemy, it would still be an inevitable ending even if he felt pity for them.
What made Izayoi to have no interest in the workings of the world, did not mean that he had an interest in bullying the weak.
It is only cool to use a great power against powerful foes.
“…… Aahh, no. It’s not like that.”
“Aye?”
Izayoi had said it in a way that made himself out to be humbled and he had to think up another way to explain it to achieve the imagery of a different perspective.
“It isn’t like it was compulsory labour. It’s just that the country that I’m from— Mah, we would use swords that can cleave mountains and rivers to peel apples and use fire that can incinerate forests to light a lamp. It is just a peaceful and prosperous place that would allow us to have these sort of meaningless splurge of resources.
Giving a loud “Wahaha” laugh, he then bit another mouthful of that ruby red apple. If it had been the warring eras like Asuka’s time, Izayoi would have had a different future. However, these advantages were only deemed to be useless in his own time.
Lily’s eyes were getting wider by the moment but she seemed to have gotten the idea as she smiled and nodded.
“That really is…… a very peaceful country.”
“Aahh. It is only thanks to that, that my culinary skills were improved. …… So whatcha think? If you have any requests, I can put it together for you, you know?”
Finishing the apple, Izayoi smiled confidently.
Lily happily perked her kitsunemimi.
“If that’s so, I would like you to whip up a dish using the ingredients in this basket!”
“Heh~? Those items that you have just delivered?”
“Yes. They are corns, pumpkin, cherry eggs and there’s also some cheese.”
Smilingly, Izayoi peered into the basket of ingredients. The large sized basket was filled with freshly delivered ingredients and the one that drew the most attention would be the large and brightly colored eggs that were of the color of cherry blossoms.
“Hey, it’s cherry blossom colored eggs. Does it taste good?”
“Yes. It’s a type of bird egg from the Sakuramiru Bird that builds its nest on the cherry blossom trees. I heard that it is an egg that is frequently used in pies.”
“Huoh? Pies, eh?”
Giving the basket another cursory glance, Izayoi eyed the ingredients with a bewildered look.[34]
He then suddenly looked up with the expression of having recalled something.
“Pumpkins, Eggs and cheese. If there’s some bacon and wheat flour, I think I can whip up a Salty Pumpkin Pie.”
“A Salty…… Pumpkin pie?”
“Mhm. It’s a local cuisine in Europe…… Just talking about it would be difficult to understand right? Mixing the eggs and pumpkin puree together before pouring the batter across the pie dough and topping it with whipped cream and cheese. That is a European style baked cuisine. Although I’ve tasted it once during my journeys, it has really struck me well in the strike zone.”[35]
Picking up a pumpkin while having an expression of being lost in reminiscence that allowed his lips to part slightly in relaxation. It was a rare expression coming from him.
And Lily, who had also lost herself in her imagination of that Salty Pumpkin Pie which she had yet to see, was having a blissful smile.
“Just listening to the description is already enough for me to judge it as a delicacy.”
“Oh! I will also guarantee that it tastes just as great.”
Laughing loudly, Izayoi spun the pumpkin on his hand while standing up.
“If we are making salty pumpkin pie, we would still need wheat flour and other ingredients. Lily, do you know anywhere that we can get those items?”
“Ah, yes! I’ll lead the way!”
*Pi*[36] Lily’s kitsunemimi perked up.
After saying their farewells to Kirino, who stayed behind at the food storage warehouse, the duo left for the plaza where there were small stalls for the purchasing of meat and wheat.
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