CH 49

They walked along a narrow road in the middle of the village, putting the workshops behind them.

Weaving in and out all the houses, you could see that each of them had their own little garden, with a vegetable patch and a flower bed.

“Tisroh has a lot of flowers, don’t you think?”

“Really? Well, I guess that’s because all the families around here raise a flower of some sort…. They have to change them everyday as well.”

“Change?”

“The one’s that are in the entranceway. They’re offerings to Korumozei (The Orange God).”

“Oh….”

Saying that, she looked up and far off, rows of terraced fields came into view. The slopes surrounding the village had mostly become crop fields.

That scenery, created by an accumulation of stones, was a sight that she had never seen before until now.

“Fields? They’re like stairs. Amazing.”

“Really?”

Dale smiled seeing Latina’s eyes sparkling, full with curiosity.

The other specialty which caught her eye within this village, apart from the terraced fields, were the waterways which ran from one end to the other. Clear water, absent of any sedimentation, flows continuously and abundantly through the waterways which ran close to every home or crop field.

In the inner parts of the village, water was being drawn from within the mountain. That existence, being used as water for their daily life, was also a symbol of this land’s 『abundance』. This village did not only have the vigor of the land, but was also filled with the vigor of water, a necessity for supporting life.

Sometimes, the villagers walking past and Dale would stop and exchange a few greetings. Whenever that happened, Latina would cling onto his back, as if she was nervous being around people she didn’t know. Even that action of hers was adorable.

Where they arrived at at the end of their stroll was the entrance to the village that they had come across yesterday.

“The only way into our village is through this tunnel. At least on paper.”

There is also another route which involves crossing the dangerous mountains.

However, that was a path controlled by each generation’s head of the family, and used during emergencies. Even within the entire clan, few know of this.

Crossing over to the opposite side of the wide road which continued forth from the highway, and ought to be called the main street of the village, Dale headed slightly towards the mountains.

“You should remember this path, since this is where Master Cornelio lives.”

“Asfar’s (The Yellow God) school?”

“He’s opened up a section of his house for that so, I guess you could say that.”

The continue forth the sloping path, which turned into a stairway halfway through.

The arrived in front of a house just before they got tired of climbing.

That building, having become a 『School』 for some time now, was quite a bit bigger than the surrounding things. However apart from that there wasn’t really any other differences to the other buildings from the village. Even the ring of flowers hung up at the entrance was the same.

“A school?”

“It’s what we have.”

Latina tilted her head at that but Dale went up to the door without minding that.

Latina looked surprised at Dale who opened the door without even knocking.

“Is sensei in right now~?”

“Dale? Is it alright for you to just go into someone else’s house like that?”

Even though Latina was asking him, when Dale came to, he just said “Ahh”.

“Although we call them 『houses』 in our village, we don’t have a door knock or anything. There aren’t any locked houses either. Going in and calling for someone is normal.”

“Hmm… It’s different from Kroix huh.”

“This is where I was born after all. I was surprised at how fussy Kroix is like.”

“Latina was also surprised when I came to Kroix for the first time. There are so many people there!”

While they were were having such a conversation, someone came out from the inside.

Poking her face out was a woman with tied up brown hair. Quietly walking up to the entranceway, she opened her mouth gently after confirming it was Dale.

“Oh my? Dale?”

“Yea. It’s been a while Clarissa-nee.”

“When did you come back?”

“Yesterday. Is sensei here?”

“Yes. Please come inside. The cute little girl next to you as well.”

“Fuah… Nice to meet you. Please excuse me for coming in.”

With an appearance like that of someone who did things at her own pace, she was a young woman a few years older than Dale. Her deep brown eyes, as if showcasing that personality of hers, calmly rounded up into a smile.

“You need something from my dad?”

“I’ll be staying here for a little while so, Latina…. It’s about this girl but, I was thinking to have sensei mentor her.”

“Oh my? You don’t want me but my dad?”

Compared with Dale who just took his shoes off and threw his shoes around, Latina was well-mannered, sitting down before taking her shoes off, and lining them up next to each other.

While they were waiting for her to do that, Dale and Clarissa continued to talk.

“There’s no one(priest) like sensei at the shrines in the city after all.”

“That’s true. I can’t deny that.”

Clarissa guided them inside as she smiled.

“Is it alright if I call you Latina-san?”

“Yes.”

Latina having replied to Clarissa calling out to her was perhaps slightly nervous, trying to look prim and proper with her best manners.

“Did you come together with Dale?”

“That’s right. Latina, is living together with Dale in Kroix.”

“Oh my. Dale, when did you find such a cute girl like her?”

“I won’t deny that Latina is cute.”

Dale answered her in complete seriousness, but Clarissa didn’t break loose of her carefree smile.

“She sure is cute isn’t she.”

“I know right.”

There was no one to retort back, given that one was an idiot and the other, an airhead.

In front of where Clarissa was guiding the two, stood something like a library where several bookshelves were lined up, and vast reserves of books were overflowing.

Latina looked around the inside of the room with astonishment.

『Asfar’s』 school in Kroix probably owned a greater collection compared with the one here but, nevertheless, it was still a sight to behold. There were so many books that you wouldn’t believe a single person could own them all.

Going past the shelves, a large window came into sight.

In front of that, a giant desk which wouldn’t lose to the window in size was placed down. On top of the table, different to the meticulously placed and tidied up bookshelves, documents and books were piled up like a mountain, maintaining a subtle balance. And inside all of that, as if he was buried alive, an old man was working.

“Cornelio-sensei.”

When Dale called out to him, he looked up as if he had finally noticed something.

The white haired old man, behind those round framed glasses, had eyes which resembled that of Clarissa. His face, cut deep with wrinkles, changed with surprise.

“Oh. This is an unusual sight.”

“It has been a while.”

The one who Dale greeted, with his head formally lowered was, Cornelio Cacache. The only priest of 『Asfar』 living in this village.

“I hear you’re working in the city.”

Cornelio says and then smiled gently at Dale.

The modest lounge situated in a position you couldn’t view from the entrance of the room was different from the style of this village. It was a style that had a sofa and a low table.

Latina sits down cosily next to Dale who sat down with a plunk.

“It’s quite spectacular that Sensei, you, are able to know of such matters being in this village.”

“The only things I have are connections after all.”

Even whilst the two of them were gossiping about the city and the Royal Capital, Latina felt slightly nervous.

What ended that was when Clarissa came in bringing tea sets and tea cakes.

“Fuahhh~”

Latina took in a breath of admiration without even realising it as the cakes came into her sight, before realising that she forgot to behave herself.

Snapping out of it, she looked around and seeing that everyone was looking at her with a pleasant gaze, she looked down in embarrassment.

That action of hers calmed down the surrounding adults.

“She’s cute, isn’t she. It would be so much better if the children of this village were as obedient as her.”

Clarissa, who was saying that as she prepared the tea, moved the sugar container which had captured Latina’s heart in an instant, so that she could see it clearly. Decorating the top of the sugar cube with a variety of different flower decorations.

“Fuaa…. The sugar has flowers on it…. So cute….”

(That kind of Latina is cute)

As expected, it seemed even Dale had enough self-respect to keep himself from muttering that in front of his teacher.

“How did you do this? Can you make it?”

“Oh my. How about I teach you next time? Do you have the time?”

Saying so, Clarissa drops the sugar into the tea and the flower decoration floats on the tea’s surface. It seemed it had captured Latina’s heart even further. Taking a look inside the tea set, a slight blush floating across her cheeks showed her delight and she muttered as she tightly held both of her hands in front of her chest.

“Uwahhhhh. So….cute….”

“Latina really is cute….”

It was at this instant his self respect shattered.

(Author’s Note: Somehow we’re already at 50 chapters.

Everyone, truly thank you for always reading. It’s been going smoother than how I had planned in the beginning but, I would be grateful if you all continue to read with me from here onwards.)