CH 121

Finally got the answer after shutting myself inside the library for a few hours — it’s about the material that should be used for filling crevices.

I used mortar and plaster as glue when I piled the stones together, but apparently it’s supposed to be honey and wheat flour, instead.

Yup, rejected!

No matter how attractive that sort of filling is to spirits, I don’t want to constantly be on the edge thinking whether the building will hold up for a long time! For a Japanese’s mentality, that’s… ugh.

Well, let’s say they’re right, I’m also willing to compromise and test it out on the small house I’m planning to build in the woods. There are more spirits over there than in the city too.

Using ash is also effective, that’s confirmed now. Ash from the volcano called Mt. Zora should be mixed with lime, volcanic rock and seawater. The crystal formed after the seawater dissolves the ash from that volcano is resilient, apparently.

Mt. Zora is said to be the place where the previous Great Deity — the spirit before the Great Wind Deity — lived. Apparently, many of his underlings still exist, and the tiny, rubbish-like ones blended among the ashes.

This is definitely the way to go, I’m positive about it. Maybe there would be a difference in the method, kinda like having the genie inside the bottle from the get go versus chucking said genie inside later on, but anyway, all I can see from using honey and wheat flour is having a place crawling with ants.

Alright, let’s start gathering volcanic ash after we return from the abandoned mine. It’ll be great if the sea-facing buildings are also resilient against salty water.

Maybe Khadar wanted to tell me that the balance between objects and spirits is important? Maybe I have to make an allowance or leeway in the things I make for the spirits that will be born and those who will creep into them.

I used what I know about Japanese techniques to color the glass, but maybe there’s a way to involve the spirits, or perhaps there are materials I can use while considering them. Alright, I’ll keep an eye out for places and things that might fit that requirement from now on.

Places that don’t cost a cent, like libraries for example, were my refuge even when I was still in Japan. Still, this place has its own charm that really calms me down. I wanted to stay for a while longer, but I have to go home and prepare the bento for tomorrow.

I greeted Mr. Librarian on my way out of the library. Initially, this crumbling, worn-down temple sent my heart into a frenzy of anxiety, but when I took a closer look, all the important walls and pillars that shouldn’t crumble were all intact despite having chips and cracks. It seems like this dilapidated look was intentional.

Maybe it’s because I gained a lot of knowledge about construction that I knew this. Well, I do get that it’s deliberate, but I’m going to properly give offerings nonetheless.

I went home, played with Riche then had my dinner. It’s ramen just as planned!

The broth was made after endlessly removing the off-flavor from the pork and chicken, then mixing it with soy sauce and seafood dashi infused with dried bonito. I used medium thick straight noodles, put char siu pork, bamboo shoots, nori, and added a half-cooked egg to top it off.

I took out the crispy fried gyoza with waves on top — left over from when I made a lot of them before.

Next, some cabbage for the veggie dish. I tossed the blanched cabbage with minced garlic, ground sesame seeds, a dash of salt, a pinch of sugar, and drizzle with sesame oil, skipping a lot of the other steps. Add a bit of chili pepper to taste.

Ahh, heaven.

Ah, maybe I can bring some stewed pork cubes tomorrow, huh. But then, I used soy sauce so they’re probably gonna scold me for bringing it outside. Ugh, it’s so troublesome having to be picky with the ingredients. I need to hurry and spread different types of vegetables to the market as soon as possible.

I finished preparing the food and getting everything set, so I took a bath. It’ll be a while before I’ll be able to do this again, so I was about to take it slow and enjoy my bath when a rare thing happened. Riche came in, then he stood on his hindlegs, put his paws on the tub and peered at me, as if asking what I was up to.

He’s tiny, so he couldn’t see what’s in the tub. I scooped a bit of water and brought it closer to his nose. Not sure whether he’s satisfied after sniffing it, or if he lost interest, but he went out of the bathroom in search of a new game to do.

Riche can pass through the doors, so he’s a free kid, be it inside the house or outdoors.

I woke up early the next morning, pulled the sheets off the bed and stuffed it inside the laundry bag along with the clothes I just took off.

We did our routine stroll before going straight to the fields to do my daily rounds. I grabbed some things here and there and stuffed them into a few bags. My house has a waterway, or perhaps creek is more accurate in this case, and it’s running in all directions so there’s no problem in growing things. However, it doesn’t rain during summer in the country where my house is, so the season for green vegetables is from fall to spring.

I gathered lemons and oranges from the area where fruit trees are growing. Initially, I thought they’d be growing during spring and summer, but apparently, they’re in season in the winter, just like the mikan tangerine. These fruits that have colors named after them seem to be rare and expensive around here. I also harvested some mikan while at it.

I fed the livestock, then barged into the coop for some eggs.

My stomach is rumbling, so I have my breakfast. Riche had water and pork roast. Mine is miso soup, grilled salmon, scrambled eggs, tofu sprinkled with a lot of spring onion shoots, and some pickled vegetables. Just where can you find such an honorable breakfast as this, huh.

Alright, it’s almost time for the meet-up, so let’s get moving.

I put my coat on and 【Teleport】. We’re meeting up at Retze and the others’ rented house, but I’ll wait for DInosso’s family since they’ll pass by my house first.

Somebody knocked on the backdoor while I was drinking some coffee and reading the book I borrowed from the library. Dinosso was clutching a laundry bag just like me when I opened the door.

「Morning. 」

「Yeah, how are you? 」

「Extremely normal. 」

「Good morning, Jean! 」

Tina raised her hands, posed for a hug, so I obliged.

「Good morning! 」

「Good morning~! 」

Hugged Vak and En after Tina in that same fluid motion.

「Good morning, please take care of us. 」

Last hug for Shiva, then I closed the door.

Soon after, everyone’s complete; everyone looking like Santa with their huge laundry sacks, too.

We will pass by the laundry shop on our way to the rental stable, so that’s why we have these bags. It’s not like ‘we’re embarking on a journey to seek adventure!’, not at all, but nobody wants to come home to mushrooms growing on their laundry, so it can’t be helped that we’re bringing these sacks.