“Ikuru, what name is good for it?”
The snow rabbit is currently being cuddled and stroked.
It’s fluffy hair is cold, but somehow it’s a comfortable fit in my hands.
“Shouldn’t you just pick something you like?”
“Well…I’m having a little trouble”
While Ikuru is looking at the vegetables in the field, I am thinking of a name for the snow rabbit while stroking it. But I can’t come up with any good ideas…I am in trouble.
Snow-chan (***Yuki-chan), Yu-chan (***comes from Yuki), Fuzzy-chan, Fluffy-chan…I cried a little at my naming sense. I remember talking about this before with Hana about naming a cats for a pet. I also have a memory where my sibling told me “ Onee-chan, your naming sense is terrible!” at the time.
“What was that name again?”
“At that time?”
“Yes. At that time, I was trying to think of a pet name with my younger sister. Well, we weren’t able to keep it anyways.”
“Hmm…”
What was the name…I’m certain that the cat was also white.
“Ah, I remember the name. It was Marshmallow” (***Mashumaro is the name in Japanese)
“…… Well, then Maro” (***The ‘Maro’ is from ‘Mashumaro’ rather than Marshmallow)
“Eh…!”
It was abbreviated by Ikuru! Maro…Maro huh? Yes, Maro is pretty cute too! Maro’s eyebrows are cute.
“Nice to meet you Maro!”
“Mi!”
“You seem to like it.”
There there, little snow rabbit…I am stroking the rabbit. But still, it is very surprising that a snow rabbit would come to my house. It is a little overwhelming, and even a bit scary because there are many things going on.
However I would like to visit the city again in the future. Ah, but I would need to buy a house first, right? Houses are expensive though…should I save money by selling potions?
“Even so, there is a variety of vegetables here. There is even rice and wheat…”
“I did my best to grow them…with my skills.”
“It’s very nice and convenient. I want it too.”
Even the knowledgeable Ikuru didn’t know about the skill <Angel’s Sanctuary>, so it seems like it is not well-known. If I were to explain the skill in simple terms, I would say that it is extremely convenient. But once you have such a useful skill, it is hard to let it go.
As I am stroking Maro, I am thinking about how to explain everything to Ikuru.
I talked about <Angel’s Sanctuary> so after that …is about the house and me? It is a bit difficult to explain the skills and so on…what should I do? Oh, that’s right! In regards to the skills, I can just look at my status.
And then this house. The explanation would be so difficult…It’s made by a mysterious power! I can’t just say that, right? Hmm…I’m in trouble.
Oh, yeah. A house that evolves along with my chemister skills! Because this is a different world, it should be okay and not have too much of an impact. Also, perhaps it could be the side effects of the lost forest? Well then, this is…gonna be hard to lie about.
“What a difficult face you have.”
“Oh, Ikuru…Are the vegetables good?”
“Yeah, I saw the garden. All of them are amazing and enormous.”
“It feels great hearing that from you, Ikuru.”
A soft breeze blows and gently strokes Ikuru’s hair. The wind blows up his bangs, and the left eye that is usually covered peeks through.
Ah, that’s right. Because Ikuru usually covers it up, I forgot that he is no longer able to see from his left eye. I do wonder if his eye can no longer see anything anymore. The right eye that is visible is a beautiful dark green color, just like a jewel.
As Ikuru becomes aware of my gaze, he looks back at me as if he was asking “What?”
“I…was afraid by myself.”
“…Yes”
“When I first saw Ikuru at the curse-slave market, I thought ‘it’s green.’”
“Green…my hair color?”
“Yes, also from the color of your eyes. I remembered…Hana.”
As I was holding Maro, I started to sit down onto the ground.
The ground had a natural cushion, and there was a soft area in the vegetation as if it was catching me. Ikuru was also surprised at the softness as he sat down next to me.
“That ‘Hana,’ is it a plant?” (***Hana means flower in Japanese)
“No…it’s the name of my younger sister.”
“……”
“I last saw her two years ago. It’s why I like flowers…and green.”
“So is that why you chose me?”
“…I don’t know, but as I looked at Ikuru’s visible eye that seemed so empy, I thought that I just couldn’t leave it alone.”
My sister, who was sick, would always grumble but she would never complain. “I will recover from my illness so I can climb Mt.Fuji with my older sister!” she said while laughing.
I think that Ikuru’s eye reminded me of my sick sister somehow.
“Hana was sick…and I was told that she could no longer be saved.”
“I see.”
“However, I begged for Hana’s sickness to be cured. I wonder if that’s why he cured her illness?”
“……Who?”
“God.”
“…….”
Oh…I wonder why I suddenly started telling Ikuru this story.
“Because I am the older sister, I would do anything to help Hana. That’s why I live here by myself.”
“You are not going to visit…?”
“I am too far away, so I can’t see her, but as long as Hana is healthy…everything is good.”
“……”
“I wonder why I’m talking so much?”
Suddenly, Ikuru’s hand was touching my cheek.
Surprised, I turned to look at Ikuru, and I noticed that Ikuru was wiping away my tears. Oh…was I crying? Ikuru just sat gently beside me without saying anything.
“……”
“……”
As time passed quietly, the wind gradually turned cold, signaling the arrival of night..
I tightly held my knees while looking at the sky. The sky here was different from Tokyo’s sky. The stars are more visible here.
“… Did god help in exchange for something?”
“I…became god’s toy.”
“I see. Because you were alone…you were worried.”
Ikuru’s gentle voice reaches me.
Oh, that’s right. I was scared because I was alone.
I pushed through each day being strong, but there were nights that I spent crying.
However, the next day, in the exchange diary, God’s messages were extremely gentle, which made me feel sorry. Two years then passed, and I gradually became used to being alone.
I became very strong in these past two years.
But, because I met a person that reminded me of Hana, I became nostalgic.
That made me uneasy.
“I met another person after so long, but because I do not understand this feeling, I feel uneasy”
“It’s ok, you can just gradually get used to it.”
“…Yes, that’s right…If I cry, Hana will laugh at me.”
After wiping the tears with my sleeve, I stand up.
Then I take a deep breath in and out.
“I’m sorry Ikuru. I started talking about this so suddenly.”
“It’s okay, but…Is it safe for you tell me this? Isn’t that important information?”
“……Oh! That reminds me!”
“……”
“I knew that if it was Ikuru, it would be safe. It’s just my intuition.”
With a laugh, I headed home. Ikuru followed behind and we entered the warm house together. Once the sun goes down, it gets a little chilly. The current season is early summer…no wait, I think it’s almost early summer.”
“Hey Ikuru”
“What?”
“…Thank you.”
“…It’s nothing.”
***
That night, I had a nostalgic dream.
It was from when I first came into this world and knew nothing…I got the exchange diary from god and he told me about Hana.
I was happy that God told me the surgery Hana went through was successful, and how she was recovering.
How did the doctors do this? I was surprised to hear that it was serious.
My parents were so glad that they cried, and I cried too. However it was by myself.
It seemed that there were no after effects, and she was doing very well.
I am very happy. I can only express it, and can’t even put it in words.
Sometimes, god would send me pictures of Hana. And once in a while, he would quietly tell me about how she was doing.
“Eh…?”
I wake up and look outside the window.
It’s pitch black.
“Oh…right, I was tired yesterday and I immediately laid down,”
I rubbed my heavy eyelids and turned on the lamp near my pillow.
I found the exchange diary that was put on the bedside table and remembered that I had yet to write in it.
I’ve never went to bed without writing in it. Besides, I promised God that I would write in it every day.
I thought that I’d have to quickly write in it and opened the diary in a hurry, but I heard a voice in my head.
“Hina?”
“Ah! God!?”
“Yup. Surprised?”
God giggles and speaks in his usual gentle voice. It’s a voice that is always gentle and calms me down.
“You are tired today, so why don’t you lie down in the bed? Let’s take a break from the diary exchange today and just talk until Hina falls asleep.”
“Yes…it’s been a long time since I’ve heard God’s voice.”
I laid back down on the bed and gently closed my eyes just as god said. The last time I heard God’s voice…was it when I received help with the hard wolf?
That means this is the first time I’ve heard God’s voice in a year and a half. Even though we write daily to each other, I rarely get to hear his voice. I feel very calm hearing his voice.
“God…did I make the right choice?”
“Does Hina think that the choice she made was wrong?”
“Well…It’s very different from Japan, so I can get very confused. I was a college student who had been devoted to working part-time, and wasn’t very good at studying. If I studied more and had more knowledge…maybe the decision I’d chosen would be a different one…maybe I was wrong.”
“Although the content are different, the name is still ‘slave.’”
“…Yes. I am God’s toy, so I thought it would make God happy if I did various things. However…it’s too easy right?”
Looking up at the magical lighting fixtures that don’t light up now, I remember when I went to the city.
“Hina, you’re doing everything for me. I think that’s wonderful, don’t you think?”
“……”
“I thought Hina was strong enough, but maybe I rushed too much…I’m sorry.”
“Oh no!…It’s fine. I am okay!”
“Well, it’s also important not to overwork yourself.”
“Um…I will make sure to do my best in this situation.”
God’s gentle voice says ‘good job’ in my head.
“Oh, right! The <curse> is now on the point exchange.”
“ Oh, that’s right! Do you know the goddess?”
“Yes, Leti is a similar existence to me. Hina is necessary for Letisreel. What Ikuru said was true. People have stolen the important jewel flower and Leti is still sobbing uncontrollably.
What…! then goddesses also exist!
But a ‘similar existence’? Goddess…is similar to God? Yeah, I don’t quite understand.
“She’s still crying somewhere in the world…isn’t that sad?”
“Yes. Because she is still sad, the <curse> does not go away. That is why this world is strange.
The religion worships Letisreel, but because she is still sad, the <curse> does not go away.”
“I see. Because people who believe in the religion cannot forgive the cursed people who incurred the goddess’ wrath.”
“Yes…Therefore, most of the slave traders are people who believe in Letisreel. People whose faiths are strong, put the slaves in cages.”
“Yes…I was not really interested in the religion but…it does not leave a good impression.”
In every country, it is difficult when religion is involved
In other words, the Goddess Faith is praised by this world Letisreel.
But the curse is an manifestation of the goddesses’ anger. Therefore people hate the curse that is in this world.
As for <Goddess Faith>, it is interpreted that if the <curse> disappears, then they would have gained the goddesses’ forgiveness.
“ …If the goddess is no longer sad, does that mean the curse will disappear?”
“Yes. That’s right.”
I get the answers from God very easily.
That’s means I should go meet the goddess and cheer her up!
“I see! I should go and meet the goddess!”
“I thought Hina might say that. Thank you very much.”
“No, but do you know where she is?”
“Oh…I’m sorry, I do not know where she is either.”
“Oh in that case…I will do my best and search for her.”
“Yes. Thank you Hina”
“Yes!”
The talk progresses and I make a promise to god to help the goddess.
“But maybe…she might be deep in the forests or mountains. Where it is quiet and there is an abundance of nature.”
“A goddess that likes nature, right?”
“Yes. So when you go, you need to prepare thoroughly. I think even with knowledge and potions, it would be difficult with just you and Ikuru.”
“Eh! Is it that hard?”
I thought it would be easier…!
I imagined just hiking or scaling up a mountain…it’s no good. It seems like it might take awhile to prepare…?
“Just do it slowly and safely. Even if it takes several years to prepare, it’s not a problem, so do not panic.”
“Several years…! Even so, I will do my best to do it as soon as possible!”
“Yup. Thank you very much Hina!”
——
[ Medium mana potion ] 2 x 800 = 1,600
[ Conversation ] = 300 points
[ Current points : 22,046 ]
[Potted plant: Small] 1
[Potted plant: Medium] 10
[Potted plant: Large] 20
[Vegetable seeds set] 10
[Fruit seeds set] 10
[Herb seeds set] 10
[Wheat seeds] 50
[Rice seeds] 100
[Brick : x1] 5
[Fountain] 1,500
New! [ Terrace Seating Set] 3,000
[ Magic Mangrove] 10,000
[Bottles: x100] 3
[Room] 50
[Bath – Extension] 5,000
[Hinami’s Room – Extension] 2,000
[Ikuru’s Room – Extension] 2,000
[Rooftop – Extension] 10,000
[Basement – Extension] 30,000
[Compounding room – Extension] 15,000
[Door of the miniature garden] 50,000
——
KizunaTLs 