Chapter 154: Language
After searching for Daifuku on the third floor and finding it empty, I set off for the Demon Forest.
“Hey, Bear bro. If you’re not in a hurry, you might want to skip the forest today. It rained more than usual, and the ground is a mess,” the gatekeeper warned me.
It’s been mostly overcast lately, but heavy rain is rare. Normally, the water would be absorbed by the ground right away, but today it’s likely creating puddles. Nature can be unpredictable like that.
I thanked him and turned back. He’s one of the few who always greets people coming and going, which makes entering and exiting the town a bit of a hassle for me. Still, I think it’s a good way to prevent crime.
Maybe I’ll bring him a little something later.
“You’re early! Did I miss my chance to say hello?” As I was about to enter through the back door, Dinoss peeked out from the neighboring door.
“You’re going to try the Ex-Staff, right? How about we all go together in a couple of days? Rosa’s associates have all moved, and it’s been three days, so it’s about time we tried out the Spirit Sword,” he suggested.
“I’m in.”
According to the Butler and Retze, Rosa’s party usually operates not in the Labyrinth but in areas close to human settlements, often near the Demon Forest or places prone to flooding. They decided to venture into the Labyrinth for some funding, as dungeons tend to have a higher rate of Demon Beasts carrying Magic Stones.
It seems their activities near human settlements are meant to improve public perception. They’ve even delved deep into the Labyrinth to build their reputation. Those aiming for national reconstruction certainly have different priorities.
“Jean! Come have some tea~!”
“Tea~!”
“And snacks~!”
I was drawn in by the children peeking out from behind Dinoss. “Snacks” refers to the Edo period’s time frame from around two to four in the afternoon, but I wonder if they still use the same term here. What’s the deal with language, anyway?
Lost in thought, I decided to join the children.
“Excuse me!”
“Welcome! —Well, I guess we should bake some now.”
“Yay!”
The children raised their hands in delight. It seems they were preparing some sweets, as evidenced by the flour-covered arms of Shiva, who appeared from the back. She must have only prepared the dough and planned to bake it later.
I sipped tea while chatting with Dinoss and helped the children with their writing.
I know at least five languages, all of which share a common origin. They’re derived from the ancient language used by Luf, now referred to as the Spirit Language, which has branched out into various dialects.
Even now, priests, nobles, and merchants study this language as a common tongue. To borrow power from the Spirits, one must speak in the ancient form of Luf’s language, which is also known as the Magic Language.
Spirits can understand most words and can speak, but it seems the ancient language of Luf is particularly pleasing to their ears, making them more likely to lend their power.
And here I am, studying it. —But the children look completely lost.
“You…” Dinoss said, looking at me with an exasperated expression.
“What is it?”
“Stop speaking entirely in ancient language. Use words we can understand.”
…Oh no. I need to be conscious of what language I’m speaking! Language is way too convenient!
“Ancient language only has fragmented words left, you know?” I averted my gaze from Dinoss, who was emphasizing his point.
“Yes, yes. It’s done baking, please pour the tea,” Shiva called from the kitchen, bringing out a freshly baked pie on a round wooden tray.
“Yay!”
The children threw down their chalk and rushed toward Shiva.
“Wash your hands first!”
People here don’t wash their hands before eating. I get it; fetching water from the well is a hassle, and the well water itself can be questionable. That’s why hot towels are recommended lately.
While I poured the tea, Shiva sliced the pie and distributed pieces to the children, each holding a plate.
“Let’s eat!”
Shiva’s pie is made from pumpkin.
“This pumpkin is strange,” I remarked, noticing the filling looked like orange threads.
“It’s a type of string pumpkin. We harvest it at the end of summer and turn it into jam,” Shiva explained.
Now that I think about it, I’ve read somewhere about a type of pumpkin called “somen pumpkin” in Japan. I think it was used in light dishes, so maybe its flavor is similar to this pumpkin?
This pumpkin here is less sweet, has more moisture, and is sticky with a fragrant aroma. It’s better suited for use with other ingredients.
Shiva’s jam is exquisite, with the golden, thread-like pumpkin glistening beautifully. The texture is crunchy and interesting. But if I were to make sweets, I’d definitely prefer the pumpkins available back in Japan.
Though it was unexpected, I felt rejuvenated playing with the children after a long time. Their innocence is refreshing.
Since I couldn’t test the Ex-Staff, I returned home and prepared several small boxes filled with various items. I used paper as lids for the boxes.
Rishu, who I summoned, watched my work with a curious expression.
With the attic now set up, the third floor of Kanum’s House has completely turned into a workshop.
“Ex-Staff!”
“Yes, Master!”
With a pop, the Ex-Staff appeared at the tip of the stick.
“Sorry, I couldn’t go out today because the conditions were bad over there, so let’s play a game here instead.”
“Alright!”
Thus, today’s game involved using the Ex-Staff to smash the paper on the boxes and poke around to guess what was inside.
At one point, the Ex-Staff, enjoying the act of making holes more than the actual guessing, insisted we spend some time just poking holes.
Eventually, Rishu joined in, and we ended up tearing through a mountain of paper. Maybe I’ll stick some paper onto a lattice frame later. It reminded me of a cat tearing through shoji screens.