On the day of my flower viewing with Jisrare-san, we left the village together, walked through the forest, and reached Area 2-1 of the World Tree-sama’s Dungeon.
「Where is it supposed to be?」
「It is not very far」
We walked leisurely through the 2-1 forest field, heading toward the cherry tree.
「Mother baked cookies for us today」
「Oh?」
We had cookies prepared as a light meal instead of a bento.
I had asked Mother to make them. She baked them for us.
After debating between taking food made by a suspicious woman or by my mother, I chose my mother’s cooking.
Worried that I might look like a mama’s boy, I nervously told Jisrare-san, but all she said was『Oh?』.
I see, just『Oh?』. Well, it is fine, I guess.
「I also brought the tools for making tea」
「Yeah」
「And I brought a giant rat hide too」
「Yeah?」
「As a mat. We can sit on it while we drink tea and eat cookies and look at the blossoms」
「Ah, that sounds nice」
When I explained my plan for today’s flower viewing, Jisrare-san smiled happily.
Good, good. Then today, the two of us can enjoy a relaxing flower viewing together.
「Ah, look, it is that tree」
「Yeah. The one with the pink blossoms?」
「Yes, that one. That tree is… hm?」
The cherry tree came into view from a distance. That was good, but…
「There are a lot of people there」
「There are. How many, I wonder」
As we kept walking, the cherry tree became completely visible. At the same time, so did the large crowd beneath it.
「There are an incredible number of people…」
「Yes, several dozen maybe」
Even Jisrare-san looked a little surprised.
Six cherry trees had been planted in neat intervals. Beneath them, dozens of villagers had gathered.
All of them stood still, looking up at the blossoms with great interest.
「So everyone really came to see the cherry blossoms…」
「Cherry?」
「Ah. The name of that tree is apparently cherry」
「Is that so?」
「…That is what Yggdrasil-san said」
In the moment, I ended up relying on Yggdrasil-san without thinking. This is definitely going on the Yggdrasil-san I-am-sorry list.
「So, what were we talking about?」
「Ah, right. I was wondering if everyone came to see the cherry blossoms」
「I think so. There are never this many people here」
「Right…」
Elven word of mouth was terrifying. When I came here not long ago, no one was around, yet now this huge crowd had gathered.
「I want to see it a little closer」
「Yes. Let’s move in further」
「Yeah」
So, we approached the cherry blossoms overflowing with people.
To avoid getting separated in the crowd, Jisrare-san and I held hands. We held hands!
Thank you, elves who gathered here because of the rumors!
「Ah, excuse us, excuse us」
「Thank you」
As we walked together, the elves who had come for the flower viewing opened a path for us.
Maybe they were being considerate because I looked like a child. Feeling a bit like Moses parting the sea, we made our way through while thanking everyone.
「Yes. It is beautiful」
「It really is」
We reached the center area where the cherry trees stood in a row, and stopped to look up at them.
The elves gathered around us were also gazing upward. Everyone stood looking up together.
Flower viewing where people actually look at the flowers this seriously… I hardly ever saw that in my previous life.
「Alright, Alec」
「Yes?」
「The giant rat hide」
「Eh」
「You are going to lay the giant rat hide, right?」
「Um…」
Was she serious? Even in this situation, she intended to follow through with my idea of a relaxed flower viewing on a picnic sheet.
It would be in the way, and I could only imagine all the curious stares we would attract…
「Well, I did say that, but I did not expect there to be this many people…」
「Ah, I see」
「It would bother everyone, so maybe we should…」
As soon as I said that, the surrounding flower-viewing elves stepped back while saying it was fine. They were strangely cooperative.
「Looks like it’s okay」
「Um…」
「Then please」
「Alright…」
Jisrare-san was oddly enthusiastic.
Maybe she had been looking forward to the flower-viewing plan I talked about. If that was the case, that really did make me happy, but…
With no choice, and with both Jisrare-san and the flower-viewing elves watching over me, I laid out two giant rat hides on the ground.
「Go ahead」
「Thank you」
Jisrare-san sat on the spread hides. I sat down as well and started getting things ready.
To begin with, I took a magic tool out of my magic bag to boil water.
It was a magic tool that generated heat, something I called the IH magic tool in my head. I placed a pot on it and filled it with water.
While waiting for it to boil, I prepared the pot, the cups, and the leaves.
I kept working quietly, but I could feel the elves staring at us. Look at the flowers. The flowers.
I even heard someone mutter something like ‘I see’. See what? Just look at the flowers already.
「Ah, here you go」
I took out a plate and placed the cookies Mother had made on it.
「Thank you. Miriam made these, right?」
「Yes, she did. She baked them this morning」
「I see」
Jisrare-san picked up a cookie, munched on it, and said I see.
I see, huh… I see…
After a while, the water boiled, so I poured the hot water and the leaves into the pot.
「It smells nice. What kind of leaves are these?」
「Who knows…?」
Someone who called tea leaves grass would not know.
I grabbed some from home without asking what they were. I really should have asked.
After letting it steep for about five minutes, I figured the herbal tea was ready and poured it into two cups.
「It’s ready」
「Thank you」
Jisrare-san held the cup, blew on it, and took a sip.
「It’s good」
「Ah, is it? I’m glad. I just brought something from home, but… what kind of leaves are these?」
「No idea」
I only asked because I got curious, but it seemed Jisrare-san didn’t know either.
So, she wasn’t particular about herbal tea either, huh?
「The tea is good, the cookies are good, and the cherry is pretty」
「It really is」
「Thank you for today, Alec」
「Not at all, it’s my pleasure」
Jisrare-san looked genuinely happy, which made me happy too.
I’m glad I went through the trouble of preparing everything. I should thank Mother when I get home.
「This is nice. Let’s come again」
「Yes, let’s come again next year」
「Next year?」
「Ah… um, apparently cherry blossoms fall after about two weeks, and they don’t bloom again until the following year」
「Really?」
「….That’s what Yggdrasil-san said」
Another one for the Yggdrasil-san I’m-sorry list…
「Then let’s come again together next year」
「Yes」
And so, Jisrare-san and I enjoyed delicious cookies, fragrant herbal tea, and the beautiful cherry, spending a peaceful time together.
I hoped that next year, we could enjoy a slow and gentle flower-viewing again, just the two of us. With that small dream in mind, we relaxed under the blossoms.
….But that aside… the behavior of the surrounding elves was starting to bother me.
It wasn’t only that they kept curiously watching us, it was that they had started doing similar things themselves.
Before I knew it, the elves had grouped up and begun cooking.
They spread monster hides to sit on, grilled meat with magic tools, simmered soup…
I mean… in a way, it ‘did’ feel kind of flower-viewing-esque…
But rather than a flower-viewing picnic, it looked more like a camping trip or a survival gathering.
…..But well, everyone looked like they were enjoying themselves, so whatever.
next chapter: Flower Viewing with Ralina-chan
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