Volume 9 - Chapter 15 – Hometown (1/2)

09-15 Hometown

The morning after Hannah’s sleepover. After waking up, in front of her was Elsa’s sleeping face.

Light blonde hair, long eyelashes, and clear white skin.

“…Pretty.”

Hannah thought of her that way. While looking at Elsa’s sleeping face, on the other bed Barbara woke up. For the women in the village, even the village chief’s niece, morning came early.

“Ah, I slept well. …Hannah-chan, good morning.”

“Good morning.”

The two exchanged greetings. Their voices also waked up Elsa.

“Mm…Morning?”

“Good morning, Elsa onee-chan.”

Hannah greeted the sleepy-faced Elsa. Seemingly remembering about last night, Elsa smiled sweetly and greeted her back.

“Good morning, Hannah-chan. Good morning, Barbara-san.”

Then the two dressed themselves and went to wash their faces.

Of course, the water well was outside. Elsa had grown used to Kunlun Island’s conveniences, but she still remembered how in most of the inns she had stayed overnight in during the trip there had been a courtyard with a water well where she could wash her face.

“Elsa onee-chan, you can go first.”

Hannah said and operated the pump. Water began rushing out. Elsa’s eyes went wide.

She had heard last night about how Jin had built a pump, but seeing it in action was surprising after all.

The pump drew water from the bottom of the deep well without using magic. Jin had made something wonderful, hadn’t he?

One I too want to make things like this which are helpful to everyone. Such a thought, while still small, grew within Elsa’s mind.

The breakfast was white bread made out of sieved wheat flour, salad made out of edible wild plants, grilled river fish, and tea.

“This tea, it’s a little unusual, but it’s good.”

“Oh, you know, that tea was made out of certain leaves picked from the forest.”

This morning Hannah too was eating with her.

“Is that right?”

It was a somewhat popular drink in the northern parts of Cline Kingdom, but Elsa who was from Shouro Empire hadn’t drunk it before now.

“Next time, want to try coming to pick them with me? The Kherries are also still blooming in the mountains so it’s pretty.”

At Hannah’s invitation Elsa felt like she should maybe try going. She then agreed without thinking.

“Mm.”

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Next thing they knew, it was suddenly noisy outside. Apparently the villagers all together were making noise.

“Has something happened, I wonder?”

Barbara stood up and was about to go look outside when the door opened.

Gheebeck stepped inside.

While slightly out of breath, Gheebeck turned to Hannah and told her,

“Jin-kun has come back.”

“Eh!”

The same noise came out of the mouths of all three of them. The fastest one to speak after that was Hannah.

“Onii-chan has!”

And then she quickly ran to towards the entryway.

She opened the door and went outside, and saw Rock, Jonas, Linus, Bill, Jeff, Dave, Howard, Rick, Tom, Yan, Surei, Kurt, Jim, Patty, Mario, Jessie, and Martha.

There was a crowd of a great number of villagers.

And the person everyone was looking at was, unmistakably, Jin. Reiko was with him.

All villagers present were speaking to Jin as they pleased.

“Jin! What have you been up to! You didn’t get in touch with us at all!”

Said Martha.