After receiving the ‘Fruit of the World Tree’ from ancestor-sama, we were urged by Yuffie to teleport to Haruka and Touka.
「Alright… we’ve arrived」
We landed in what looked like a cluttered storage space… no, it was actually a room. Half the room was buried under books and materials.
Looking straight ahead, we saw everyone standing around helplessly.
「Sorry to keep you waiting, everyone」
「Good work, guys～」
「Fruit! Fruit!!」
At our call, the four of them turned around.
「Ah, Yuuki-oniisan! Hikari-oneesan! And Yuffie-san!」
「Yuuki-oniichan! Hikari-oneechan! Welcome back, Yuffie-san!」
「Kaminagi-san! Hikari-chan! Yuffie-san」
「Yuffie! I told you to clean up! There’s nowhere to step in here!」
Yuffie paid no attention to Myuri’s scolding.
「Honestly… Welcome back, Hikari. Y, Yuu… Hyuuki… y-you too!」
「Myuri…」
「Myuri-oneesan…」
「Myuri-san…」
Everyone looked exasperated at Myuri’s sudden fluster.
「You got back earlier than expected」
「We found it in just a day, after all…」
「I see…」
「Yuuki♪ Yuuki♪ Hurry♪ Give it to me♪」
「「「「!?!?!?!?」」」」
Yuffie, bubbling with excitement, clung to me and demanded the ‘Fruit of the World Tree’. The way she said it made it sound very misleading, please don’t say it like that…
See? Everyone’s making weird faces now!
「Alright, alright. Where should I go to process the staff for Hikari?」
「For the cutting, have Myuri guide you. More importantly, hurry up and give it to me♪」
「Yeah yeah…」
I took out two ‘Fruits of the World Tree’, and they were instantly snatched from my hands.
「Mmm… just two…」
「You’re just going to mess around with them for now, right? That should be enough」
「…Fine」
With that, Yuffie disappeared into her lab.
「She’s incredibly passionate, huh…」
「Yeah, even I’m impressed by how devoted Yuffie is」
「Alright then, let’s go make everyone’s armor…」
「’Kohh, Kohh, ‘」
When I turned around, I saw Myuri wearing a pitch-black helmet.
Is that supposed to be Darth V●der…?
「Well… let’s just ignore Myuri’s outfit. So, where do we go?」
「I-I’ll guide you!」
「Alright, I’m counting on you」
Myuri thumped her chest with a loud ‘don’, though… doesn’t that hurt?
Everyone began heading outside, and I followed after them, only to be met with an incredible sight.
Steam rising from various places, machines in motion, craftsmen working on items right at their storefronts… I’d been to this city once before, but I didn’t remember it ever being this lively.
「This is amazing…」
「After the Evil God was defeated, this place developed rapidly」
Before I realized it, Myuri had come up beside me and started talking. Is she really okay though?
A peddler’s cart passed by, and both children and adults were cheerfully looking over goods in front of the shops. At a nearby food stall, a craftsman-looking guy was buying something that resembled a kebab.
「Huh? Did we have that kind of food before?」
「It was something you mentioned, Yuuki… If I recall correctly, it’s made from dough using cornmeal, then filled with either grilled meat or battered and fried meat, along with vegetables and sauce, wrapped up to make it easy to eat」
「Ahh, now that you mention it, I did try to make junk food in this world… Though back then I just used boiled meat and sausage…」
「Yeah… but since this city is full of craftsmen, they prefer something hearty. So it got bigger and packed with more fillings」
That’s true… The one I made came out about the size of a small K〇ntucky chicken fillet, so it probably wouldn’t satisfy these hardworking folks.
「Looks good… Should we grab one before heading to the workshop?」
「I’m in～」
Touka popped out of nowhere and raised her hand in agreement.
「I, I’d like to try it too!」
Haruka, curious about food as always, chimed in wanting some too.
「Alright then, let’s eat」
As we all lined up, Hikari and Kagurazaka-san came back with drinks.
「We’re back～」
「Welcome back」
「Welcome home」
「Welkum baaaack～」
「Ah, mixed juice? Nice choice」
The two of them handed drinks to everyone, and that’s when I suddenly noticed something.
「Huh? Where’d you get the money?」
「Aerith-san gave it to us」
「Ah, I see…」
We walked and ate the tortilla-style wraps, and eventually arrived at the workshop.
「Excuse meee」
When I opened the door, a bell jingled. The shop interior had a light layer of dust, but the merchandise was kept neatly clean.
「Welcome, oh hey, it’s hero-sama. I heard you went back to your world. What brings you here?」
A petite girl came out, wearing chainmail and gloves embedded with magic stones.
「Uh… Yuffie made me. I’m here to get a staff processed.」
「Ohh, I see. If you’re coming to me, that must mean it’s a pretty tough material to work with, huh?」
「Yeah… it’s wood from the World Tree’s forest.」
「Aah, then you came to the right place! This way, come on」
Guided by the girl, I headed to the workshop at the back of the shop, where I was greeted by a ridiculously huge chainsaw.
「Put it over there. I’ll cut it right now」
She pointed to the workbench, so I took the branch out from my dimensional storage.
「Hmm? Where’d you pull that out from?」
「Ah, that’s one of my spells」
「As expected of hero-sama, huh…」
The chainsaw roared as it began slicing through the branch. For some reason, it cut through like butter.
Aren’t chainsaws supposed to cut more slowly than that…?
「Alright, done」
In the blink of an eye, two pieces of processed wood were finished and handed to me.
「This should be more than good enough for use」
「Thank you very much」
「For fine details, a sculptor might be better. But if it’s just for practical use, simple should do」
「Got it. How much do I owe you?」
「I’ll bill Yuffie for it. Though next time, I’d like to try some rare liquor」
I couldn’t help making a strange face, being asked for liquor by someone who looked like a child.
「Oh? She didn’t tell you?」
「I’m a half-blood, Dwarf and Elf. I’m over 80 years old」
「So that’s why you look so young」
「Exactly. Next time, bring me some good booze」
「Understood. By the way… what’s your name?」
「Ah, it’s Suiyou. Named after the ‘suifuyou’ flower」
「Got it, Suiyou-san」
And with that, we left Suiyou-san’s workshop and made our way to Hikari and the others’ magic armor shop.
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