Chapter 56 – Eh, You’re Going to Eat?

「Alec? Are you ready yet? Or not quite?」

From outside the room, Father called out in the tone of someone playing the seeker in hide-and-seek.

It seemed quite a bit of time had passed while Yggdrasil-san and I were fussing about. Father must have decided things should be fine by now. …But are they really?

「Um, is it alright?」

「Mm」

「Sorry」

When I whispered to confirm with Yggdrasil-san, she dutifully whispered back.

「Father, what is it?」

「It’s about time for dinner」

「Ah, okay. Um, understood」

When I answered, Father left the room.

So, it was already dinner time… What should I do about this?

「It seems it’s dinner now」

「Hmm. Then I suppose I shall partake as well」

「Yes… wait, eh?」

I didn’t mean to say, “World Tree-sama, dinner is ready”. Well, I did say it was dinner, but not in that sense.

Besides, we didn’t prepare a dinner portion for Yggdrasil-san.

「Eh, you’re going to eat?」

「What? Isn’t the meal already prepared?」

But… does World Tree-sama even eat human food? Shouldn’t she be drawing water through roots?

And besides, isn’t this Yggdrasil-san just an avatar, while the main body is properly feeding elsewhere?

「I don’t think they’ve prepared a portion for you though…」

「In this body I cannot eat much. If everyone gives me just a little from their share, it will be enough」

「I see…」

That reminded me of elementary school lunches. When one class spilled their pot, the other classes would share a bit of theirs…

「What? I came all the way here just to hear your story, didn’t I? Something like this isn’t too much to ask, is it?」

「Well, yes. You’re right. I’m sorry for that…」

「All I ask is to be treated to dinner once. In return, I’ll forgive your past actions and the discourtesies you’ve shown me here」

「Eh…? Really!?」

Unbelievable. Yggdrasil-san is so magnanimous!

…Or maybe this means I had already been discourteous enough to require forgiveness, despite her coming here for my sake. Well… I do have plenty of things that come to mind.

「At least I understand your situation now. Besides, I only came to complain a little in the first place」

「I see… Thank you very much. Then, shall we go?」

「Mm」

Yggdrasil-san and I stood up and headed together toward the living room.

「Weren’t you supposed to be Deis’s apostle? It wouldn’t be right for me to interfere with an apostle」

「Apostle…? No, I’m not anything like that」

「What…? Then that changes things a little…?」

「A-anyway, let’s go. I’m sure we can serve dishes that will satisfy you, Yggdrasil-san」

Since the conversation was starting to take a dangerous turn, I pushed on her back to hurry her along.

「Hey, don’t push me」

「Now, now…ah, but please, about my previous life… whatever you do, don’t tell my parents…」

「I understand, I understand already…」

「Please, I don’t want them to worry about weird things. My previous life has to stay a secret, alright?」

「I said I understand, stop pushing me already…」

「I mean it, absolutely no telling them. You must not say a word about my past life, absolutely….ow ow ow ow ow」

◇

While fussing back and forth, the two of us finally arrived in front of the living room.

Now then, dinner with a god. How should I explain this to my parents?

Even having one extra guest is a big deal, and on top of that, it’s a god…

「Um, I’ll go explain to my parents, so could you wait here for a moment?」

「Mm」

For now, I asked Yggdrasil-san to stay put while I went into the living room alone.

「Ah, Alec, are you alright now? The new wind…?」

「New wind? What are you talking about?」

「Eh…?」

The moment I entered the living room, Father asked me something strange. What’s this about a new wind?

「Anyway, um, we have a guest…」

「A guest?」

「Y-yeah. I’d like it if they could join us for dinner…」

「That’s a bit sudden, don’t you think?」

Mother looked troubled. Well, of course she would be, being told something like that so suddenly.

I mean, I was suddenly confronted by someone right behind me too, and that was plenty troubling…

「Well, as you can see, it’s just our usual dinner, nothing really fit for a guest… no, wait Miriam, that’s not what I meant—」

Father slipped up and was immediately met with Mother’s glare.

「Mama’s cooking is always delicious, I’m sure our guest will be very happy!」

「Really…? Well, maybe so」

Using Father’s blunder to my advantage, I pushed the conversation forward. With the extra push of calling her “Mama”, Mother was pleased. …Meanwhile, Father gave me a resentful look.

「Alright, I’ll go bring them in, okay?」

「Yes. But… who exactly is this guest?」

Our guest is a god.

next chapter: Pudding and Rye Bread