Volume 4 Chapter 6 Part 1 (1/2)

Volume 4 Chapter 6 Part 1

Translator: Kurehashi Aiko Editor: Queenie

It was the end of the day and the sun was slowly beginning to disappear behind the horizon. I can’t say for sure that today’s tour was as enjoyable as yesterday’s one, but I sure ate a whole lot at that restaurant. That is why I was now gently touching my stomach and regretting having eaten so much.

After that we went to another place that Juri-kun recommended, much to my terror filled with many food stalls. I had tried every single dish from every stall and every single one was delicious, and I was surprised that many of the dishes here were unique to the isle’s capital city, that you wouldn’t find them anywhere else. There was a whole lot of seafood since the Isle was surrounded by the sea, each seasoned with pepper and salt, meat skewers, deep-fried shrimp, octopus rings and much, much more. I even packed some of the dishes to take with me back home. Anyways, I knew that I would be returning to the Governor’s mansion really late tonight.

By the time I was full and couldn’t eat anything more, it was already late sundown. At my side, Juri-kun was counting coins that were resting in the palms of his hands. I gave him the same amount as yesterday, plus a little extra for the tickets for the play. He would look at me from time to time and smile happily.

「I know! Big sister, do you still have time to spare?」

「Eh? Umm, yes, I have the time. It should be alright.」

While I was puzzled by Juri-kun’s sudden question, he put the coins in his pocket and smiled brightly at me again.

「Then please come with me for a moment. I shall take you to a rather special place!」

「Special place? I mean, sure, but why?」

Big sister, earlier today you looked like you were depressed. It’s not good for your stay here and feel like that. So I hope this place will help to cheer you up, even if it is only for a little bit.」

Seeing him so enthusiastic about the idea, I simply couldn’t bring myself to refuse him. When I nodded my head, Juri-kun smiled brightly and took my hand, taking me back to the carriage and told the driver where to go. Before long, we have arrived at a small, run-down temple at the edge of the town, right next to the thick bushes of the forest.

「This is it, big sister. We get off here.」

「Ehh, r-right.」

Juri-kun gets off the carriage and I follow suit. The sun was about to completely disappear behind the horizon, and it was casting long shadows on our feet. I failed to notice it until we actually arrived, but this place seems to be located on a small island that was connected to the main one via a thin stretch of land. The view from this place was also completely different than what we saw from the balcony when we first came here. It surely was beautiful, but since I now know about the legend of this Isle it also felt kind of lonely to me.

「Juri-kun? What is this temple? Is this the place you were talking about?」

I turned my head from the setting sun and looked at Juri-kun, who quite unexpectedly shook his head in denial.

「No. This church is long abandoned, there’s no priest here to do the services for the people. But we need to go that way for now.」

Juri-kun walks down a small path that leads amongst the trees without any hesitation. I follow after him, but if I were to come in here alone I would have never been able to find the right road. I also had to lift the hem of my skirt to avoid the twisted roots and low-growing branches.

We got to the back of the church and the path seemed to have ended there, but Juri-kun did not stop on moving forward, going alongside a wild path that was made through the grass and thicket. This was something I would normally refrain from doing, but Juri-kun took me by the hand and helped me to get through it.

「It’s alright, see, it’s right there, but you must watch your step. It’s quite difficult to walk properly here.」

Juri-kun pulled me by the hand and continued to walk forward. He said that it was hard to walk in here, but he was walking so smoothly that it was actually difficult to believe his words. The path was gradually sloping upward, and even though I was wearing low-heeled shoes it was hard for me to walk properly. And the slope was just going up and up and up.