26-Episode 24 Wheat Bread Baked

He places his teeth right in the middle of the boiled corn, and while rotating it, he scrapes off the kernels with his front teeth and chews them silently.

When his mouth is full, he moves his cheeks with a mocky mocky motion, and Magda lets out a satisfied gasp.

'............ delicious'.

'Haaaaahhh ............ Magda-tan, you're so cute ......!

What is this scene? Hey, Magda. Are you really a tiger?You must have some rodent blood in you.

The rain shows no sign of letting up and the whole city is gloomy today.

Umaro, whose work has been cancelled since yesterday due to the lingering theft in the thirty-second ward, has been lingering in the sunny pavilion since this morning.

Maybe I should charge him for a seat. About 10Rb an hour.

After eating lunch, Yamboldo and Gusuya picked up their lunch boxes for the night and left.

They said they were going to take care of their work tools since it was their day off. It would be a disaster if his tools rusted under the influence of the long rain.

'...... You should learn a little from me, you dullard.

'What?I'm sorry!I've been taking good care of my tools, so I'm fine even in this long rain!In fact, I'd rather they learn to take better care of it every day.

'Hmm. You sound like a big man.

'I'm pretty good at it, you know?

If that's the case, then don't be gazing at little girls in the daytime and getting all giddy.

I'm going to issue a restraining order for you to get closer than a few meters radius, you bastard.

'...... Yashiro, this is very tasty.'

'I see. Good for you. Thank Umaro from a great distance.'

'Why from so far away?

'Because it's kind of a waste, you idiot.

'...... Yashiro.'

'Hmm?

'.................. Do you want some?

Then he offers me a piece of corn that he has just bit into.

If this were Tokyo, I would be surrounded by policemen,............. If this were Tokyo, I'd be surrounded by policemen.

You can't do that!Magda, if you do that, all your fans will cry!

Mostly you.

But yeah, you're right.

'Magda. You're a girl, so you should refrain from getting too attached to guys and sharing food like that.

'...... Why?'

Because if you don't have a sense of urgency, you'll be taken advantage of by perverts like Umaro. 'You can't say, '......', can you?

'It's because you're important.'

'............ Magda is?'

'Ah. So, this is what I'm asking you to do. Will you listen to me?'

'.................. Yes.'

More importantly, I don't want to cause any undue offense if you're groping me in public.

I don't want to be bothered.

It's nearly impossible to tell from his expression whether my words were received or not. ......

'............ So'.

The second murmur sounded happy, if not heartfelt.

I looked at his face, and he had his usual blank expression, so I may have been mistaken.

'...... I'll do my best'.

I think that's a statement you make when you're not planning to work relatively hard. ...... Well, I guess you can take that as an affirmation.

It's a relief for now.

...... In front of Umaro and the others, 'Do you need pants? I'm not sure what to do. I'm afraid I won't be able to walk down the street at night.

I don't pick a fight with men. This is an ironclad rule common to the world.

'Oh, I think it's about time.

There's no clock in the sunken pavilion. No, there is a clock in the sunny pavilion,......, though it is possible to say that ......

In this town, time is measured by the bells of the church.

The first one is at four in the morning. After that, it is eight o'clock, twelve o'clock, and finally sixteen o'clock.

So, how do they measure the time at the Sunlit Pavilion? ...... is an hourglass.

A huge hourglass, which drops off in four hours, is placed in a corner of the counter.

The outer frame of the hourglass is firmly fixed, and only the main part filled with sand can be operated.

An iron rod is attached to the outer frame at the position that bisects it vertically, and is connected to the middle frame that holds the hourglass.

This causes the gourd-shaped glass hourglass to rotate as if it were going upside down.

Three lines are drawn on the surface of the hourglass, each representing an hour.

It seems that the hourglass is fine as long as it can be checked in one-hour increments, and that the minutes and seconds are not further detailed.

Every time the church bell rings, Ginette rotates this large hourglass.

I've always thought that the scene is very otherworldly, like a scene from a ...... fantasy movie.

My own wristwatch, which can be charged by vibration, is much more powerful and functional, but ...... lately I've been in the habit of looking at the time on this giant hourglass.

I even became able to read the approximate number of minutes by the way the sand was diminishing.

'Um, Yashiro-san. I've been wondering about this for a while now. ......'

Ginette, who was diligently cleaning the cafeteria, stopped her work and came over to me.

The shirt that Jeannette is wearing right now...

"Sunlit Pavilion

Cheap!Delicious!So cute!

Stir-fried vegetables 20Rb~!

Now open for business in District 42!

Open all year round!

You have to come here!Bring your friends and family!You have to come!

is sewn on the wall.

It's made by cutting scraps into the shape of letters and sewing them together one by one.

Or rather, it's a different version of the one I lent to Estella.

Yesterday, after Estella left, Jeannette looked so jealous ...... that I was so jealous that I couldn't ...... handle cooking or cleaning up. It's not that I don't like it, it's just that I don't know what to do with it. ...... I made it for her.

In the morning, I got one of Jeannette's clothes and sewed the letters on it.

At that time, Ginette showed a sad expression, saying, 'What ...... are you going to make with my clothes? It's not like I have a lot of clothes either.

Also,......, I don't want you to smell me or anything.

That's why Jeannette has been wearing a shirt with an advertisement for the sunlit pavilion for a while now.

...... I'm the one who wants to ask you something.

What are you so happy about? You're much cuter in uniform.

Today, Jeannette will be wearing a promotional shirt, as promised.

Starting tomorrow, she'll wear the uniform at work and the advertising shirt in her private life. ...... No, I don't think it's a good idea even in private.

'So, what is it?

'Well, what have you been doing since a while ago, Yashiro-san?It seems like you've been going outside a lot.

'Did you eat something?

Who's having a stomach ache from picking up food?

That's why people with little imagination run to ...... such vines. It would not be an exaggeration to say that it shows a lack of information processing ability that they run to poor breasts with only 'vines' and 'flats' instead of big breasts with infinite possibilities of size, shape, elasticity, and shape change by pressure.

'I've built something nice in the backyard. I'm doing a trial run of it today.

It had been raining so much that I was running out of time to visit the farmers who were out of work because of the rain.

So, with Jeannette's permission, I was looking around the shed for something to build, when I found ...... a very nice thing.

It's called ...... firebrick.

It can withstand temperatures as high as 1,200 degrees Celsius.

Using those bricks, I built a kiln.

I thought I'd bake some bread.

Rice became available and I could eat good rice every day.

Now that I have ......, I want to eat bread.

The bread in this city is not so good, but it is expensive.

The black bread is so hard that it could be classified as a blunt instrument, and the white bread is so crusty that it costs 70Rb.

Honestly, I can't do it.

So, there is no choice but to make them.

If you can't stand it with what's there, you'll have to make it yourself.

Since I couldn't get any yeast, I decided to make spontaneously fermented bread for now.

I had learned how to make it when I was in Japan. The method is to put flour, water and salt in a bowl sterilized with boiling water and let it ferment slowly at around 26 degrees Celsius for 24 hours. In Japan, it was difficult and I had many failures. But here, I succeeded in one shot. Fermentation is now complete, and it is being baked in a stone kiln. After all, human beings show their true value when they are cornered.

I don't want to eat that stone-like black bread!I'm looking forward to tasting it.

I am looking forward to tasting it now.

If all goes well, I may be able to offer bread at a lower price than the bakery.

And if we can build a proper stone oven, we can make something like pizza.

This may cause a big movement.

The bricks were stored in a storage room, but there were not so many of them, so I made a small-scale trial version of a stone kiln.

It may be possible to use this kiln to make a larger quantity of firebricks.

Perhaps there will come a day when we will renew our business as "Delivery Pizza Sunken Pavilion".

Anyway, the first thing to do now is to make sure the bread is baked.

I've been preparing the bread and firing up the stone oven since this morning, and I've spent a lot of time preparing.

It's definitely working.

Today, a new history will be made in the Forty-second Ward, or rather, in this city, Allbloom.

'I'm going to make you a witness to history.

'...... I have a bad feeling about this. ...... What are you going to do?'

'Magda, are you tired?You can go to your room and rest for the rest of the day.'

'Wow!I'm so excited!The things you do, Yashiro-san, are all things that ordinary people can't even think of!I'm so excited!

Oh, man. He can't read the room.

Well, okay. You'll be in for a surprise when you see my special bread.

'Well, I'll be back in a bit.

I grab my umbrella and open the door to the cafeteria.

And ...... there was Estella at the door.

She is spreading out the clothes I lent her yesterday in front of her and putting her face close to mine.

'............ Are you going to sniff it?'

'Oh no!Yay, Yashiro!

The encounter was so unexpected that I couldn't help but ask.

No, anyone would ask this.

'I don't mean to interfere with your peculiar proclivities, but please don't do it in front of him.

'Ba, idiot, are you!Who's going to smell you?

You, you. You sniffing monster.

'I was just checking to make sure my clothes were clean. I swear!

Well, let's just say that.

'It's true!

'I know, I know.

'I don't know, .......'

Why am I being blamed for this? ......

'So, where are you going?

'The backyard.'

'............ Did you pick up a bite to eat?'

...... These people, they're just... All of them.

'Just go inside and wait. I'll show you something good.'

'...... "Something good"?I've got a really bad feeling about this.

'What kind of person do you guys think I am?

Disrespectful.

They're really rude.

'I'm coming with you.

'No, it's raining, go inside.

'Don't worry, I have an umbrella.

'I'll be right back, just stay inside.'

I ignore Estella and head for the backyard.

'Hey, wait for me!

I heard the sound of water splashing right behind me.

I turned around and ......

'...... cold.'

Estella had gotten her foot caught in the slush and was slumped over in a puddle.

'............ Go inside and change your clothes. See?'

'...... Yeah. I will.'

Dropping her shoulders and saying weakly, Estella walked into the cafeteria.

'Ah, Estella-san. Welcome ......, what's wrong with your outfit?

I heard Jeannette's crazy voice and the door closed.

Is it the smell of Estella or the muddy ground? ...... Muddy feet are dangerous. Can't we at least use asphalt in front of the store?

I came to the backyard with my feet stuck in the slippery clay-like mud with poor drainage.

A simple wall and roof have been built around the firewood that was used to repair the chair, to keep out the wind and rain. It feels like cooking rice in a bowl.

As I approached, I could smell the delicious aroma of baking wheat.

The warm air gently touches my skin.

I opened the iron door that covered the kiln, being careful not to burn myself.

Inside the kiln, neatly arranged round loaves of bread were baking nicely.

I picked up one of them and took a bite of the hot bread and threw it into my mouth.

.................. Yes!It's delicious!

There's no baking powder, so it's not as fluffy as the bread sold in Japan, but it's fermented properly and you can taste the sweetness of the wheat.

It tastes good. It's the kind of bread that gives you that impression.

'Okay, I'll take this back.

I put the baked bread in the basket I had brought with me and covered it with a cloth to keep it dry from the rain.

I feel like Red Riding Hood going to visit my grandmother's house.

Careful not to get into any trouble on the way, I headed back to the cafeteria.

When I entered the cafeteria, I saw two people standing side by side wearing clothes with the advertising slogan of the sunny pavilion on them.

...... What is this surreal scene?

'Did you end up wearing those clothes again?

'No, it can't be helped!I fell earlier and my clothes got wet!

I came to return the clothes I borrowed, and now I'm wearing them again.

What's this guy doing here?

'Well, since you're here, I'll let you have a taste. It's a new product that might change the history of the Sunlit Pavilion.'

'Really? You're very confident.

'Well, it's not anything out of the ordinary. You won't miss a thing.'

With the bread, you can make sandwiches and hot dogs.

It's a great way to expand your menu.

'Yashiro-san. What have you made?I can't wait to see it!

'......Expectations'

Jeannette and Magda are fidgeting, trying to peer into my basket.

Mm-hmm. Good reaction.

Umaro seems intrigued and is leaning forward as well.

So let's show it off.

Look at this!This is Obayashi's special naturally fermented bread!

As he says this, he pulls out a cloth from the basket.

The contrast between the bright color of the wheat and the soft white of the bread is beautiful, and the basket is filled with small cobbled loaves.

All eyes were focused on the freshly baked bread, and a shout of 'Wow! There was no .................. cheer.

What is it?

There's something ............ wrong with the air.

The air in the cafeteria is heavy.

This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your time with us. ...... Magda as usual?

'Ya...... Shiro,san............ ah,that......'

In the heavy air, it was Jeannette who opened her mouth fearfully.

'What the ............ hell is this?

'No, it's ...... pan ............?

'Where did you get that,......?

'Hmm?Yeah, I made it.'

'......?Um, ............ how did you get ......?'

'How did you ............ build a stone kiln in the backyard and ......'

'Please repent!

Ginette shouted, not in her usual stern but gentle tone, but in a serious tone of voice.

'Yasirot!Do you even know what you've done!

'Huh?No,......, you don't seem to have a clue,.......'

'............Yashiro, criminal.'

'Dude!What the hell, Magda?Don't say anything that you don't want to hear!

'No, I'm not talking about eavesdropping. ...... This is ............ really, really bad.'

What is it?

What's that?

I don't get it.

I don't know what you mean. 'E, E, Estella-san, d, d, d, d, what should I do?What should I do!

'Just calm down for once, little Ginette!

'...... Yashiro............ why are you doing this?

'Hey!Somebody explain it to me!What the hell did I do?

I was a little annoyed by the unsettling atmosphere, and yelled at her in a strong tone.

Ginette looked at me with frightened eyes, Umaro looked pale as if he was about to faint, and Magda still had the same dazed look in her eyes. ............ At times like this, it's best to ask Estella. It's the best way to go!

I'm not sure what to do.What was wrong with me?

'I'm sure Yashiro didn't know this, but ............ making bread in this town is a serious offense.'

It's a felony to make bread in this city.

'Making bread is a ............ felony?

I don't understand what that means at all?

'In addition to that, smuggling bread oven is also a crime.'

Huh?

What's that?

What crime am I guilty of?

If I bake bread, does it bother anyone else?

'And anyway!Let's talk to the sisters!

Ginette rushes over the counter and disappears into the kitchen.

'Oumalo. I'm sorry, but please don't tell anyone about this.'

'No, of course not. The sunlit pavilion is now a place of relaxation for us, and more than anything, it's a place that I'm very attached to, having renovated it with great care. Besides, Yashiro-san didn't do it with malicious intent, and I'm sure he'll be forgiven!I believe so!

To be honest, my mind still hasn't been able to comprehend the situation.

But ......

The only thing I could feel was the sense of danger that something terrible was about to happen.

'Could it be that we're violating a contract with the Pan Guild or something?

'It's not a guild. I'm not talking about a small group like that.'

'What ............ then ......?'

Before I could even choose the words to spit out, Estella cornered me and stopped me from speaking.

She grabbed me by the chest and pulled me close.

A fierce gaze glared at me.

'The Church holds the rights to the bread.

'The Church of ......?

'In this city, the church has more power than the lords of the districts, the royalty of the central district, and anyone else. The rules of this city are all set by the Church, which is headed by the Spirit God. If you disobey the church, you can't live in this city.

'So, what does that have to do with bread ......?

'To bake bread, you need permission from the Church. Even if you get permission, you can only bake bread twice a month in the church's stone oven under the church's direction. Of course, there is a substantial tax to bake bread.

I need a permit to bake bread?

'What if we don't have enough?

'We'll ask the church. ......, though that would require a substantial 'donation'.'

'...... Usury, at its finest.'

'Don't say that too often.

Estella's fingers close around my neck.

'If I were a zealot, ...... you'd be dead right now, wouldn't you?

...... If this finger was a knife, ............

I'd be horrified.

But ...... I see.

The staple food, bread, is essential for survival.

If you take the right to it with your power, people will not be able to defy the church. For when there is no bread, people starve.

And with this increased power, he will wield new authority. ......

It's a nasty system that you can never get out of once you're in it. It would be impossible to overturn it without a mass uprising of the residents. And the people here don't mean that.

'The bread and the oven are precious commodities under the watchful eye of the Church. Smuggling, smuggling in and out, and trafficking deserve severe punishment.

'...... You want me to pay for this with death?'

'Most of the time, you can get away with it by making a large donation.

That's a fine.

He said, 'You've ruined my island, so you'd better pay for it. ...... Who are you from? If you refuse, are you going to be locked up in an office by a bunch of tough-looking young guys?That's not funny.

Corrupt politics. Politics in this country is corrupt.

'That's the rule in this town. It's fine to be unique and act as you please, but ...... you need to expand your knowledge of who not to go against. ...... There are countless things in this city that we can't protect ourselves from.

...... What a city.

Roman Empire.

The aristocrats are respected above all else and the commoners are just left to their whims.

I don't think I'm going to like the god of this town.

If an omniscient and omnipotent God is truly just and compassionate, he should be purged in order from the top of the church, which is immersed in money and power.

If you don't notice the stench of corruption wafting from your feet, then either your nose is crooked, or you yourself are so corrupt that you emit the same smell.

Now, I wonder which one is the god of this town.

'Yashiro-san!Put this on right now and let's go to the church!

Ginette returned in a hurry, wearing a poncho-like garment with some kind of extravagant decoration. I wondered if it was a kind of vestments.

The combination of Ginette's overly innocent face and the weather makes her look a bit like a fashionable tell-tale monk. ...... Do you want me to wear that too?

This is a holy vestment that cleanses from sin. If you wear it and do your penance sincerely, Alvi will have mercy on you. Come on, Yashiro. I'll accompany you to the church!

Ginette really is a devout Alvistan, I thought.

I looked over and saw Umaro kneeling on the floor with his hands folded in prayer. Is he also an Alvistan?

And Magda was chomping on a piece of ...... corn.

Oh, it's so relaxing, that feeling.

'Even if you're not a member of the church, I think you should go apologize.

'If you want to live in this city.'

'What if I say I don't want to?

'You'll get in trouble, Ginette.'

'I don't like the ...... back.

'All right. Penance, fine, ...... oops, was it 'donation'?Anyway, I'll do whatever you say.

Only those who are qualified to stand up to power should do so.

No matter how righteous you are, a citizen as helpless as a stone on the street cannot do anything about it. Shielding them will only make them unhappy.

...... But we can store that anger in silence.

When that quiet anger has built up to full capacity and the needle has swung ...... over, those in power can reflect on their past and deliberate on their actions.

If there are extenuating circumstances, fine. ...... If not, ............

'But before I do that, I want to make sure of something. It's something I really need to do so that I don't make the same mistake in the future.

'What are you going to do?'

'I want to check the definition of bread. To what extent is it included in bread? ...... What's good and what's not?

'If you can't have bread, why don't you have naan?

I'd like to know if 'it's not bread, so it's not bad' works, although no one has said that .......

'Well, let's just take what we can carry and we'll explain it over there.

'Okay, ......'.

Ah, it's been a while since I've felt this heavy ......

I feel the same as when I was called to the staff room. Ahhhh.

I had no choice but to take the bread I'd baked and the seeds I'd prepared and head for the church.

'Umaro. I'm sorry, but can you stay here with Magda?'

'Yeah, no, that's fine, but ...... what should I do if a visitor comes?'

'Just smile at them.'

'No, no, no, no, you can't!

'......Yashiro.'

'Hmm?What is it, Magda?

'...... Magda's coming with me. 'Yashiro, I can't leave him alone.'

'Really?'

'......Yes.'

'Hmm~...... then, can't be helped. Umaro. Leave me alone.'

'I don't get it!Why don't you just close the store then?

'You idiot!

I reprimanded Umaro, and pointed at Estella's chest.

On it, in large letters, is written.

'Open 24/7.

'It would be a lie if we closed the store.

'It's fine, we've already opened once today!It's not closed!

'If a customer came and found the store closed, he would be sad!

'Even if the store is open, it's the same if there's no one in the store!

You don't know what you're talking about!

I gently push Magda back in anger.

With a snap, Magda stepped forward and turned her innocent eyes toward Umaro. Then she tilted her head and said in a prying voice.

'............ No?

'It's not fair, Yashiro-san!It's not fair!

He patted Magda on the back.

'............No?'

'Aaah!It's the lack of variation that makes me squeamish!I get it!But I can only do what I can do!Also, please come back soon!

Mm-hmm.

Umaro is a good guy after all.

I'll make him a handkerchief with Magda's portrait on it and give it to him.

'Well, let's go.

'...... You don't look like someone who is going to repent, do you?

Estella looks very tired for some reason.

You don't do penance with your face.

Ginette led the way with a strange and mysterious look on her face and we walked side by side to the church.

There was no one to be seen in the rainy city, only noisy raindrops pouring down from the heavy sky.

The sky made me feel uneasy, as if this city was going to sink into the bottom of the water.

By the time we reached the church, our feet were soggy from the rain and mud.

When I entered the common room, I was greeted by Bertina. It seemed that the children were now taking a nap.

Ginette tells Bertina what's going on with a mysterious look on her face.

...... I'm nervous.

I wonder if they're going to be very angry ............ or if they're going to take a "donation" or something .......... ...

If that's the case, you're going to have to find a way to make it work. ...... If that's the case, you should have said so from the start. You can't do that after the fact. You can't say, 'Yes, fine,' after the fact.

Just as this frustration was beginning to rise in my heart, Bertina looked at me.

Her eyes were like jewels, too beautiful to look at me.

My heart almost creaked as it tightened.

What's this tension ............ is the spirit of the sisters so great ......

'......Yashiro-san. I've heard of you.

'Is ............ yes'.

No saliva in the mouth, dry.

The words are stuck in my throat and I can't get them out.

This intimidation ............ is a good match for the gym teacher of life guidance.

'Oh, no, no, no, no. Meh!

'What about ..................?

'But if you didn't know about it, then it can't be helped. This time, I forgive your sins with remorse and repentance.

What, ............ that's it?

'Oh, um, ...... are you sure, Sister?

'Yes, it's fine. Ginette also seems to be heartbroken for Yashiro's sake, and ...... it's clear to everyone that she didn't mean any harm.''

'............!

Hearing Bertina's words, tears well up in Ginette's eyes.

'Sister ............, thank you very much!

She bowed her head vigorously, and the teardrops flew into the air as she did so.

The glittering grains of light flew around Ginette and then fell silently to the floor.

'Yashiro.

Estella softly whispered to her.

'You should be thanking Ginette for her tears. I think that glow helped me a lot this time.'

'If you'll forgive me for crying, I'll cry all I want, too.

I'm very good at lying and pretending to be sorry.

'The purity of tears is different between you and Jeannette.

'Oh, come on. Don't speak ill of Jeannette's tears.'

'Why do you think you're winning?How can you be so brazen?

Estella let out an exasperated sigh.

However, I should at least say thank you.

For those pure tears.

'Ginette. I'm sorry. ...... Thank you.'

'No, no. I'm sorry I didn't tell you about it first.

'No, I don't think so.'

'No. Mr. Yashiro said he didn't know anything about this city, and I forgot to tell him ...... such a basic thing. ............ I'm sorry about that.

I don't know why he apologized.

'That's exactly the wrong thing to do. If it's your fault, it's also my fault for acting rashly, even if I didn't know it. Just raise your head.'

'Yes, sir. I'll do penance with you later.

d*mn ......, I was made to admit my guilt.

I was going to get away with 'this confusing system is bad' but ......

Is this a thing?Is this a new kind of guidance?

I'm sure you're not being taken for a ride,.......

It's best to be cautious.

'So, Yashiro-san.'

Bertina walks up to me with a broad smile on her face.

'You brought the bread you made, didn't you?

'Oh, this is the one: ...... Oh, no. It's .......'

The moment I spoke to her, her eyes, which had been like those of a Bodhisattva, lit up with a sharp glint.

You have to be polite in front of this person. ...... if you don't want to shorten your life.

'May I see it?

'Oh, please.'

I handed the basket of bread to Bertina.

Bertina took off the rag that was hanging on the basket, looked inside and let out a sigh of admiration.

'It's a magnificent work of art. Even the baker's guild has lost its shape.

That's high praise.

But the reason I can't be too happy about it is because it almost made me a criminal.

'It smells great, and it looks very tasty.

A glistening drop slid gracefully down from Bertina's chaste mouth.

Don't drool on it!

In the event that you've got a lot more than one, you'll be able to get a lot more.

'...... Uh, what do you mean?

'Why don't you eat it since it's a waste?

This guy is really picky about his food!

Is it okay for the sisters to do this?

I'm not sure what to make of it, but I'm sure it's a good idea.

There's no sin in food. It is also very sinful to mistreat food, as it is an act of mischief and harm to living things. I also think it's equally sinful to give up on something that looks delicious.

'The last one is what you really want, isn't it ......?'

Well, I don't want to throw it away. ......

'So, eat up.

'Are you sure?

No, I don't care if it's okay. ...... How can I say no in this situation?

'I'm sorry, sir. I was kind of urging you to ......'

I'm not sure what you mean.I'm not sure what to do.

I'm not sure if you've heard of it, but I have.

I'm not sure what to make of that.

It's completely out. It's sinful. It's delicious.

Finally, his true feelings came out.

No, well, it would be better if you ate it with pleasure anyway. ......

'Then where does it stop being out?

'You can't have bread.

'What about naan?'

'...... 'What'?'

'And pizza.'

'...... 'Piza'?'

'Baking wheat in a stone oven is the same thing, but I don't think it's the same as bread.'

'That's a difficult point. I don't know what it is or what piza is, so it's hard to say.

'However, it's difficult to explain with words, isn't it ......?

The only thing I can say to explain naan is that it is a kind of flat bread that is eaten with curry.

Now, what should I do? ......

'Well, let's try making some.

'Hey!What happened to the bootlegging problem?

You can't make it!

'It is also the precious role of the Church to rescue the hearts of troubled lambs.

You're the one who's troubled.

'I wonder what it tastes like...' 'I want to eat it,' it says on his face.

'Well, if you come to the Sunken Pavilion, we can use the stone kiln to make all sorts of things.

'Outside the church, it will be difficult to cover up ...... and God's mercy will be hard to reach.

'Then, I'm sorry to say that there was no .......'

'However, if the sky is covered with thick clouds like this, the spirit gods might be able to block their eyes and give us a break.

You can do whatever you want!

'So, you're saying that you'll allow me to use the stone kiln this time only, specially to solve my troubled doubts?

'I can't give you permission. It would be a terrible thing for a mere Sister to exercise such authority. But I can at least tolerate the excesses of youthful energy as a forerunner.'

'...... In other words?

'Do as much as you can and repent later.

I don't know what to do.

I'm sure you don't think that because she's beautiful she's allowed to do whatever she wants. ......

'......Sister............'

I'm not sure what to make of that.

I see. She's always been that way, hasn't she? I could tell by the look on Ginette's face.

'Oh, Jeannette. Don't look at me like that. Besides, it's written in the book, isn't it?

Ginette's reaction must have been something she was used to, because Bertina dodged it with an indifferent smile and pointed her finger at the shirt Estella was wearing.

'Please come and invite your friends and family,' she said. I'm supposed to be Ginette's family, but isn't Ginette?

'No, no ............ that ......'.

When someone says something like that, Jeannette can no longer say anything back.

She looked at me with a troubled face, unable to say anything back.

'This is a relief for me. Ms. Bertina is trying to do humanitarian relief work. It's called ......, is that correct?'

'Yes. That's Mr. Yashiro. He is very understanding.'

Bertina smiled contentedly and walked into the office. She seemed to have gone to get her cloak.

'I hope Bertina's absence doesn't startle the children when they wake up from their naps.

'Oh, I'm sure that will be fine ......'

I casually let out my concern, to which Ginette replied with a troubled expression.

'It happens all the time.

Sister Bertina.

She seems to be more uninhibited than I thought.

I have a feeling I'll be able to get away with a lot more punishment from the Church.

If you keep Bertina as bait, she'll do you a favor. ......

In the event that you've got a little bit of faith, you're going to be able to get away with it.

There was a larger puddle of water near the entrance than in other places, due to the large number of people coming and going. The soil must have caved in a little.

I'll have to do something about that too, I thought as I opened the door...

'Yashiro-san!Everyone!We've been waiting for you!

--Umaro greeted me with great enthusiasm.

'We've had a visitor, and we're in trouble!

'A visitor?

There are some strange people in this heavy rain.

I looked behind Umaro at ...... and saw a family there. A father, a mother, a son and a daughter. They all have round faces with round ears, and are generally long and thin, like weasels.

The weasel-like faces of the family were all hunched over the table with their backs turned down.

The unnatural gloominess of the scene made me step back.

No matter how long the rains lasted, the whole family didn't have to give off such a gloomy aura. ......

You know what?

While I was frozen in place by the gloomy aura, Jeannette called out to the family from behind me in a cheerful voice.

'Welcome! Welcome to the Sunlit Pavilion!

At the familiar phrase, the family looked up and slowly turned to me.

Then, with eyes as fragile as a candle's flame before it goes out, they said something like this.

'Excuse me,......, I only have one serving of stir-fried scrap vegetables,......, would you mind?

Seeing this scene, I couldn't help but shout in my mind.

A bowl of kake-soba?

--and.