CH 45

Excuse: PokeGo – lvl 22 and 88kms walked so sorta

Excuse: Was playing visual novels, and Tokimeki Memorial 4, almost done with 2nd route

Visual novel: Koi to senkyo to chocolate – translations are 马马虎虎

So PokeGo = 5 days no trans, tokimeki = 2 days no trans, vn = 2 days no trans

caught up with noragami as well~ 1 day, therefore 10 days no trans soz…

This village has no name.

If it had to be said then, something like 『Tisroh』is being used as the village’s name but, originally that didn’t have such a meaning.

『Tisroh』is actually, the name of the clan which had lived here originally.

“Which is why….in our village there aren’t anything such as 『Family Names』. If that was really the case then our family names would end up being 『Tisroh』. Doing so, everyone in the village would have the same family name so…. It wasn’t very helpful”

“Hmm? But Dale, always calls himself 『Dale Reki』?”

“Right. That’s because in this village, in place of the family name we attach the 『Role』instead….The meaning of my 『Reki』is the title given to 『Someone who goes out and fights』. I don’t know anymore about how it came about in the beginning given it’s an old word passed down to the whole clan but, I was told it had that sort of meaning.”

Dale leads Latina along, and starts unpacking in one room of the mansion.

It was the place which was originally his bedroom. Although his former furniture have already been packed away, he looked as if he was already at home, as if he knew where everything was.

Latina too, after putting down her luggage and knife, is currently quietly sitting down, listening to him speak.

“It seems that quite a while back, our clan had drifted here from another land. They had settled down here in the middle of these mountains, cleared the land and created a village. ….Many in our clan have the Divine Protection of 『The Orange God (Korumozei)』 and excellent aptitude with Earth magic every generation, to the point of calling ourselves 『The Clan loved by the land』. Which is why construction, as well as clearing land is, the specialty of our clan….”

What it means to have many who excel in Earth magic is that, using magic for physical labour such as, construction and architecture — especially things like building the foundation — , it’s fine even if they don’t split up the work for big projects. Even in the middle of the mountains, a hard to reach place such as here, when it comes to the construction materials, or putting that all together, if there are many magicians then it’s not troubling at all.

The power of the Divine Protection of the god of the land, the one you pray to for good harvest 『Korumozei』 is powerful as well. Although not all holders of the Divine Protection are like this, amongst the Divine Protections of 『Korumozei』, there is one which greatly affects the growth of crops. Not just that, it can also quicken the recovery of the land, and it can even have it so that it allows for the multiple harvests of produce.

At first glance it’s inconvenient and in the middle of the mountains but, this land here is one which is easy for the Divine Protections 『Filled with Divine Power』 to be exerted. For their entire clan, it is an extremely easy to live, rich and abundant land.

“Which is why, a lot of our clan’s practises are different from those of 『Raband』. Even things like taking off your shoes within buildings is because of that too”

“Ah….”

Latina makes a face as if ‘Oh right’, which is probably due to the fact that when she normally lives with Dale, she had gotten used to his lifestyle of ‘Taking shoes off inside the bedroom’.

It seems that even the soft and fluffy thick carpet which had been laid out in this room resembled his room in Kroix and thus didn’t make Latina feel out of place because she was already used to that.

Leaving the room with Dale, a wooden surface with a beautiful grain, polished as if it was a mirror continued down the corridor.

“Since we’re so far deep in the mountains, when winter comes, it snows a lot. Well, that seems to be the type of land that our clan chose though. Which is why our shoes are often dirty with dirt and mud. And thus, when we are in the house, we take off our dirty shoes. That’s how it was in the beginning”

Making a ‘peta peta’ sound as he walks, Dale explains as he leads her forth. Since Latina was wearing fluffy slippers, she didn’t make much sound when she walked.

After a short while he stopped in front of his targetted room. Without even knocking, he grabs hold of the door knob and opens it.

その部屋は、豪勢ではないが、一目で『上等の部屋』だとわかる場所だった。雪深い土地の貴重な日の光をたっぷりと取り込める南向きの部屋で、古くはあっ ても良く手入れのされた暖炉が設置してあった。この部屋にも敷物は敷かれていたが、複雑な模様が織り込まれた『特別』な一枚だ。歴代の一族の者の狩りの成 果を誇るように立派な動物の角や毛皮などが壁に飾られている。

そしてその部屋の中央には、一人の老婆が座っており、煙管で煙草を吸っている最中であった。

It wasn’t a luxurious room but it was one which at first glance made you understand that it was a 『Quality room』. A room facing the south, receiving a fair share of the precious sunlight of the snowy lands, and inside it, albeit slightly old, a well placed fireplace had been installed. Even in this room, a carpet had been laid out but, it was a 『special』 one with complex patterns woven in it. Decorated on the walls were brilliant horns and fur coats of animals, hung up as if boasting the results from generations of hunts from their clan.

And in the centre of that room, a single old woman sat there, in the height of smoking from a steel pipe. 

“So? What do you have to say for yourself, you old bat”

“It’s you, my stupid grandson. Complaining about such insignificant matters” (TL: As small as your arsehole, literal meaning)

Kaka. The old woman who was sitting in an imposing manner laughing, the master of the room, was quite small,  A figure which lined up next to Latina would win by only a small margin.

However, with that brazen attitude, it was almost as if her small frame had been cancelled out. She was an existence which could never be seen as 『small』.

Smoking as if she was purposely picking a fight, she breathes in the pipe she held in her hand.

“Damn you……!”

Next to Dale who was clenching his fists in irritation, Latina looks at the old lady once and then looked up at Dale.

“….Just like, Dale”

“Huh! Latina!?”

At her sudden words, Dale was taken aback and looking at Latina, she had already walked out in front of the old lady.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Latina. I was helped by Dale, and now we’re living together. I’ll be in your care for a small while”

After saying so, she bows once with beautiful form as if it was natural.

It was not based on formal etiquette but, it was a greeting which conveyed her sincerity.

“Hou…..”

“Granny, are you Dale’s granny?”

“I am. …..Young lady, you’re much more earnest than my stupid grandson”

“Dale, has been really nice to me. He’s also taught me a lot. That’s why Dale isn’t 『stupid』, hmph”

Latina, puffs out her cheeks in front of that 『gigantic』 old lady and pouts a little.

“Even if you’re Dale’s granny, I think you shouldn’t say bad things to Dale, hmph”

After that she turns around, looking behind her.

“But you know. You too, Dale. Don’t say bad things to your granny”

The judgement the young girl passed down, was that both party are to be blamed.

The grandmother and grandson pair exchanged a glance.

In between them, a slightly pouty Latina.

“Your pouty face looks cute too, Latina”

“Indeed”

“Latina is so cute right”

“Where did you go and find this child?”

“I picked her up”

“Every now and then, you do find something good”

Latina was able to see the truth at first glance.

『Two peas in a pod』, grandmother and grandson. It’s because they’re 『two peas in a pod』 that they oppose each other but.

Even their idea of 『Things they find cute』 are, very similar.

“Little lady (Jou-chan). Want some candy?”

“Don’t go feeding her!”

“Candy?”

The old lady takes out an amber coloured candy from the drawer next to her and, Dale tries to stop her from accepting the old lady’s callings.

He knew. That should he allow for his grandmother’s 『attack』 once, Latina will fall to her. And then, once that happens, so will her expectations as well.

“I won’t let you. Latina is my child after all”

“What are you saying, you don’t even have a wife”

His grandmother laughs mockingly seeing Dale hugging Latina from behind, hair standing up as if he was a parent cat protecting his young.

“Hm?”

Seeing the two of them who, just a short while ago, had a different atmosphere around them, Latina tilted her head in confusion slightly.

“Come now. Ahhhnnn”

“Ahhhnn?”

“Latina!”

Latina who honestly opened her mouth just as she was told, was tossed a candy. It was instantaneous, ignoring any and all of Dale’s interferences, with an agile and nimble movement unbefitting of her age.

“Is it good?”

“Yummy”

Having a side of her cheek puff up like a squirrel, Latina nods.

“Latina! Is your understanding of not taking food from strangers only up to that extent?!”

“Fueh!? Even Dale’s granny is a 『stranger』!?”

“Don’t mind him. He’s just acting like a little brat”

“Eh?”

“Don’t just listen to whatever this old hag says!”

“Eh? Eh?”

“Although you were so docile where you were a kid”

“It was because of you that I’m like this now. You know?!”

“I don’t really get it but, Dale and granny are close?”

“We’re not on bad terms”

“That’s true”

Expressing her doubts in words regarding their grandmother/grandson relationship which had surpassed her understanding, the grandmother/grandson pair replied with the exact same expression.

“Fuaaa…..”

Latina thinks for a little while, ‘then….. Is it alright I wonder?’

She thinks to herself as she lightly rolls the large drop of candy around in her mouth.