Chapter 9 She was a Fighter (1/2)
Light peered in through the window as I open my eyelids, which are still a little heavy. I absentmindedly stared into this unfamiliar room, until my awakened mind finally recalled the events yesterday.
That’s right… I’m in a different world. Looking back on it again, it has been a hectic day.
I got caught up in the summoning of the Hero, studied the history of the other world, went to the moon with a demon I don’t understand, kidnapped by that demon I don’t understand towards an empty journey and fell asleep before I knew it—- Arehh? Putting aside the beginning, aren’t most of the hectic parts of my day caused by that baby castella incarnate? Or rather, I don’t remember coming back to my room. I wonder how long I’ve been asleep in my bed?
“I’ll be back, alright?”
Let’s check out what I know again. This is the mansion of Duchess Lilia Alberto, who is currently looking after us, and the residence of her people. In short, that demon is a stranger to this residence. I feel that it’s really important that I nrepeat this again, she’s a stranger for this residence—- That little demon girl is really doing what she wants.
However, should I tell Lilia-san and the others that a demon trespasser was here yesterday? Although I’m still out of touch with the common sense of this world, I can easily imagine that it would be a pretty big problem if the Duchess’ residence were being trespassed upon. If I were to believe what she said, Kuro illegally intruded this place because she wanted to see me, I also haven’t been harmed by her—- I was just slightly traumatized by baby castellas.
In that case, even if it were extremely troubling…… but my intuition tells me. Perhaps, even if I were to report it and this place increases its vigilance, Kuro will still appear with that smile she had last night. In that case, as expected…… Should I wait-and-see for the moment? At any rate, it doesn’t seem like Kuro is a bad girl, and I’m also indebted to her for saving me when I got lost.
Ah, but there’s a chance that they will ask about the ruckus last night first thing in the morning……
Just as I was thinking about it, I heard a knock on the door, telling me that breakfast was ready. For the time being, I decided to put aside thinking about Kuro for the future as I left the room, heading for the dining room.
Our breakfast was a simple Western-style one, but it was served with pure white-colored bread. They explained to me that in this world, it’s customary to eat white bread at the first meal of the new year. I don’t know how they made it this white, but it tasted just like a plain butter roll.
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[Did all of you sleep well yesterday?]
[Ah, yes.]
[I was also very tired yesterday that I fell asleep right away.]
[…………]
Hearing Lilia-san suddenly asking about such things, the image of myself screaming loudly in my head return back into my mind and I couldn’t respond quickly enough.
[……Kaito-san?]
[Ah, I was watching the moon in the veranda for a little while before sleeping.]
[Yes, it was a beautiful moonlit night yesterday, wasn’t it? “I was also relaxing within the night breeze, it was a really great, peaceful night, befitting the 30th of the Celestial Moon.”]
[……Y- You’re right.]
Arehh? A peaceful night? That’s weird…… Is Lilia-san’s room that far away that she can’t hear me screaming? I feel like we’re not on the same page……
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Before that problem can be firmly formed in my mind, Kusonoki-san spoke.
[Speaking of which, it’s the new year today in this world, isn’t it? Do people do anything special for the occasion?]
[Let me think…… Basically, most of humanity was spending their time at home for 3 days after the arrival of the new year. After that, there will be a New Year’s celebration. There are also some regional variations but—-]
It seems that there’s a custom in this world just like Japan’s Sanganichi, during which most of the establishments were closed. Then, from what Lilia-san told me, I learned that there would be an event that’s like Shinnenkai where they would receive the Blessings of the Gods.
The Blessing of the Gods is a Hatsumode-like event where people would wish for their health and improvement from the Gods visiting their temples, and there are various forms depending on the region and the type of Gods living there.
(T/N: Sanganichi is just like he explained, shinnenkai is New Year Gathering, japanese tradition of welcoming the arrival of the New Year, usually by drinking alcohol. Hatsumode is the first shrine visit of the year, usually occurring within the first three days of January. This event should be something normal to see from anime.)
[For example, here in the royal capital where there’s a temple governing “health” and “order”, it’s common to receive blessings for health and peace during the new year, but in areas where there are temples governing “harvest”, they may receive the blessing for an abundant harvest. Even though I said that, only royalty and nobles can meet the Gods and Goddesses and receive their blessings in person, so it would basically be like asking for the blessing from the priests.]
It’s said that most of the people will be bestowed with the blessing, although it’s also influenced by how strong their religious beliefs are. However, this is just a custom of the Human Race and it doesn’t apply for the Gods and Demons.
The Gods would usually spend the day praying to the Creation God, not even eating any meals.
On the first day of the new year, the Demons are said to take only one of the predetermined foods as a form of thanks to the Six Kings.
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[Incidentally, everyone may already know about it, but Luna follows the customs of the Demons.]
[Eh? Luna-san, are you a demon!?]
[To Hina-san’s question, you could say that’s true, but you could also say it isn’t.]
[To put it simply, I’m a human-demon hybrid.]
We are surprised by what Lilia-san suddenly said, but the person herself, Lunamaria-san answered as if it were a matter of course. It seems that in this world where demons and humans are friendly with each other, hybrids aren’t uncommon and weren’t that unusual.
[If you want me to specify it, I have a quarter of the blood of humans and elves, and half of the blood of demons. That’s why there are some traces of my elven bloodline on my ears.]
[Hoeehh~]
Saying this, Lunamaria-san moves her hair so that we can see her ears. Lunamaria-san’s ears are indeed a little pointed, but they aren’t as long as the ears of the elves I had in mind.
I see, you could say that this is something unique to this world where the exchange between races is flourishing. In fact, Lunamaria-san looks like a bundle of otherworldly factors.
[I’ve heard that people in other worlds are relatively sensitive to the image of mixed-races—- but about a third of the people working in this mansion are mixed races, and they’re very common in this world.]
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I guess she could tell that we were surprised, and so Lilia-san explained with a smile telling us that it’s nothing unusual. It’s true that even in fantasy novels, there are many instances of mixed-race persecution, so I may have had a prejudiced image about them. I’ll try to correct this thought so that I wouldn’t be rude to them.
Incidentally, Lilia-san is a pure-blooded human, but she made a wry smile about the fact that she doesn’t know about her ancestors.
[……Well, the reason why Luna spends the New Year following the customs of the Demon Realm is simple—- Luna, do you have something you wanted to say today?]
[All these foods I offer for the name of the revered Underworld King-sama!]
[……By the way, these foods were originally supposed to be offered under the name of anyone among the Six Kings…]
[ [ [ ……Ah. ] ] ]
[Incidentally, there are 67 different kinds of offerings designated for Underworld King-sama’s name this year……]
[That’s enough. Luna, you don’t have to explain that part.]
Lilia-san tells her with a tired look on her face while the fanatic enthusiastically replies.
Rather, that’s so many different varieties of food offerings! Ah, right, there are so many different kinds of demons, aren’t there? I’m sure there are some things that they couldn’t eat because of their body type, so maybe they’re considering that? Though I was a bit creeped out from Lunamaria-san who had memorized the different kinds of foods that were offered to the Underworld King……
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When we finished breakfast and listened to the story of this world again in the same room as yesterday, Lilia-san spoke as if she suddenly remembered something.
[Ah, I forgot to mention…… Later, all of you will receive a direct blessing from the Goddess, just like the nobles and royalty. That’s apparently because the Heroes are susceptible to endemic diseases, so you’re supposed to receive the blessing of good health in there.]
I don’t know if there’s a concept of immunity in this world, but we’re indeed living in different environments and climates, so the blessing of good health is important just by hearing its name. As a matter of fact, I don’t want to be the person who came to another world just to die from an epidemic.
[Wouldn’t it be better if My Lady receives the blessing of “Love” or “Marriage” for once?]
[……Luna, you…… You clearly know what you’re talking about, right?]
[……Ahhhh! Speaking of which, you’re already done it two—– Gufuaahh!?]
I wonder what happened just now? While Lunamaria-san is speaking, Lilia-san stood up and I felt like she sent a fist with an earth-shattering speed towards Lunamaria-san’s solar plexus. To be honest, it looked like Lilia-san’s hand disappeared and Lunamaria-san only got down on her knees holding her stomach but……
[……Did you say something?]
[……A- As expected of…… My Lady…… Your skill doesn’t seem to have weakened……]
As Lilia-san spoke with a frightening smile on her face, Lunamaria-san doesn’t seem to have learned her lesson at all. The three of us whispered among each others before thinking that the two of them are really good friends.
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[……Did you see that?]
[No, I didn’t see it at all.]
[Could it be that Lilia-san is actually a very strong person……]
Whispering among ourselves about that thing we saw a few moments ago…… which we didn’t exactly see.
[Geez, you really are—– Hyahh!?]
[ [ [ !? ] ] ]
[Ah, no, it’s not like that, everyone! That just now was, umm, err……]
Looking at her fists so sharp that it’s hard to believe she’s a lady of a Duchy, we inadvertently pulled away for a bit. Lilia-san frantically turned towards us and started explaining.
[I- I had some experience working with the Knight Order back then…… I’ve also acquired martial arts experience enough to know how to use it…… errr……]
[Before she received her peerage, My Lady was the “Division Commander” of the Second Division of the Kingdom’s Knight Order.]
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