Welcome to Japan, Ms. Elf! Volume 9 E-Book

Makishima Suzuki

• Herausgeber: J-Novel Club
• Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
• Serie: Welcome to Japan, Ms. Elf!
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 369

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024

Beschreibung

During Kazuhiro and Marie’s travels between Japan and the dream world, the mansion they’ve been living in on the other side has become fully operational. Both have also gone out to dinner with the Ichijos more often. Everything has been smooth sailing on all fronts—or so they thought, until Toru gets drunk and accidentally falls asleep next to Kazuhiro. More fun and delicious food await!

Leseprobe

Table of Contents

Cover

Chapter of Betrayal

Episode 4: An Invitation for Chinese Food

Episode 5: An Invitation to a Dream

Episode 6: Tonight, We Welcome Another Guest

Episode 7: To the University Library

Episode 8: My Darling

Afterword

Color Illustrations

About J-Novel Club

Copyright

Landmarks

Table of Contents

Color Images

Episode 4: An Invitation for Chinese Food

A cat with fur as black as night let out a big yawn. Its fangs were still small, but its body had grown slightly since spring. This cat lived in Kitase’s mansion, though it wasn’t always there, and only appeared when called for by Kitase and Mariabelle with a Magic Tool.

Kitase was just an average office worker but had the ability to travel to another world when he went to sleep. Mariabelle the elf had been visiting Japan ever since she had learned of his power, and Kitase had been enjoying his time in the fantastical dream world. They had invited the cat to Japan almost as an afterthought, and it had spent most of its time curled up somewhere comfortable. It preferred lying on beds, chairs, and under the bed, much like an ordinary cat would. This “cat” was none other than the familiar for the Arkdragon Wridra. Anyhow, it could easily understand human speech. Even in modern Japan, which lacked the foundation to activate magic, it could somehow conjure magic from nothing. Although, no one there would understand the significance of this even if they had it explained to them.

The Arkdragon was an incredible being who could generate magic by simply breathing, a skill which she had acquired in the savage yet advanced ancient times for survival. However, this black-furred creature was only a familiar and a cat. Wridra didn’t see magic as anything special, so it didn’t often act as if it were superior to others. The familiar could create a system to allow magic to activate in Japan if it wished to, but it couldn’t be bothered. There weren’t even any enemies or monsters to defend against, so it would have been pointless.

Yet the black cat lay next to the window, looked at the sky, and exhaled. Wisdom far greater than that of a mere mortal was visible in its golden eyes. Kitase didn’t realize it, but there were complex rules in play for Wridra to exist in the so-called real world.

Long ago, Wridra sent her familiar to Japan after accepting an invitation from the boy and the elf. When she had awakened, bare-skinned and unable to bring anything from her world with her, she had instinctively sensed a message: “Do not upset me.”

She still remembered that sensation like a drop of cold water falling on her face. But she felt no fear and was aware that someone had sent her a clear message upon arriving in this land. This meant that “someone” was still watching. As long as they supervised her, she couldn’t cause any trouble, or that mysterious stranger might become agitated. The situation was rather simple yet multifaceted. To upset someone was an emotional matter, as one could not tell what would set off a completely unknown entity. Judging by the rather ominous tone, this entity didn’t think well of Wridra. After she had spent so much time in this land, no one else seemed to be aware of this situation.

The black cat yawned in the bed that the autumn sun kept warm, seemingly unconcerned. All it cared about was keeping this bliss. Wridra intended on spending her time in this world as a “mostly normal cat,” which might have been the best way to please the mysterious entity.

As the cat scratched the back of its head and rolled over, a young man’s voice called from the entrance, “I’m leaving now. I’ll get in touch in the evening again.”

“Okay, take care. It’s supposed to rain in the afternoon, so you should take an umbrella. Oh, and...” The elf trailed off. She was in an apron, and it was clear from her expression that she wanted something. She glanced at the cat, and it pretended not to notice them. The two casually moved out of sight, even though the cat could see the elf stand on her tiptoes.

These exchanges were rather irritating. Kitase and Marie could suck go suck face for all Wridra cared, but their poor attempts at hiding when they did these things made her sick. If they did it openly, she would undoubtedly think, Get a room.

There was silence for some time, then Kitase awkwardly said, “I’ll...be going now.”

After he left, the elf girl stood there for a moment longer, then fanned her rosy face as she walked back into the room, her slippers plopping on the floor with each step. At this time, the familiar had already curled up with its butt turned toward her, so Mariabelle couldn’t see the furrow-browed, extremely grumpy face it was making.

Said routine always took place at the entrance, and the elf girl became the head of the house while Kitase was out for work. Unlike Wridra, she didn’t plan on spending the day lazing about. She often walked around busily, doing laundry, cleaning, hanging the futons out to dry, and getting any shopping done before noon if she needed anything. She was quite the hard worker.

Wridra watched contemplatively through the eyes of her familiar. Elves grew up fast from a dragon’s perspective. Mariabelle had already learned to speak the language of this world after only a few months and had adapted to life here without issues. She even enjoyed television and reading novels, and kept herself entertained even without Kitase.

Mariabelle the elf girl had come to this foreign world alone, and there must have been times when she felt uncertain or lonely. Wridra had once asked her about it when she was studying Japanese. Of course, this was when Wridra had come to Japan in her core body, not as a familiar.

“Lonely? Hmm, I don’t know...” Mariabelle had said. “It’s strange, but I can focus on my studies more when I’m here. There’s so much to discover, and I’ve been too busy to feel lonely.”

Apparently, Mariabelle enjoyed her time studying in silence with her table lamp, her favorite stationery, and a dictionary. She had learned how to make the best of her alone time. There was no need to bother her more than necessary, so the familiar continued to lie around and get the occasional belly rubs.

As it was comfortably dozing off, Mariabelle asked, “Wridra, would you like to go shopping? We can get your favorite treat, oranges!”

The cat’s golden eyes snapped open. Oranges were refreshingly sweet citrus fruits. Although real cats didn’t like them, they were delicious treats for the familiar’s taste buds. It meowed, then made a beeline for the elf girl. Mariabelle stood at the entrance and smiled when she saw the cat coming.

Wridra didn’t mind going on walks with her. Mariabelle often spoke to her even when she wasn’t in her humanoid form, and the riverside road was perfect for a relaxing stroll. They often encountered dogs and cats on the way, but their instincts were far keener than those of humans. Animals quickly realized the familiar was no ordinary cat, but they only stared without daring to bark or bite.

However, this form wasn’t without its issues. Supermarkets handled food items, so they didn’t allow animals inside for sanitary concerns. The familiar meowed as Mariabelle waved goodbye and stepped into the building.

Since those were the rules, getting upset about it would be pointless. Wridra’s familiar was a legendary being on the inside despite its looks, and she was a proper adult from the elf girl’s perspective, so she should’ve been allowed in. She wasn’t angry about it, of course, but had to admit it was frustrating that she couldn’t get inside when she knew there was all sorts of tasty food. Even though she wanted to get in so badly that she walked in circles around the store, she was by no means annoyed or angry. If one thought the cat looked like it was about to shout profanities, it had to be their imagination or a trick of the light. This was the familiar of the great Arkdragon, after all.

Wridra was also quite simple. When the automated doors opened as the elf girl stepped out, the familiar ran over to her, excited for the oranges.

Mariabelle crouched and said, “Have you been behaving and waiting out here? Good. Look how yummy these oranges look! Let’s go home and try them.” She held up the oranges, which glowed in the autumn sun. The black cat moved its nose closer and sniffed, taking in the sweet, citrusy scent and narrowing its eyes. Wridra’s eyes opened again, and she realized something: inside the bag were snacks, juice, and other indulgences that had nothing to do with dinner. Mariabelle quickly moved to cover them with her hands and said, “It’s not what it looks like. One of our rules says we can buy ourselves a little reward if we go grocery shopping. It’s not as if I’m wasting money for no reason.”

She put a finger to her lips and gestured as if to say, “This is between you and me.”

Indeed, nothing was wrong with it if they had such a rule in place already. The cat was basically acting as a bodyguard throughout their trip, and Wridra deserved a reward. She would also partake in the snacks and persistently urge the elf girl to share.

“Yes, yes, I get it. You can have some too, so you don’t need to keep meowing like that. You adorable little thing,” added Mariabelle, rubbing the back of the cat’s neck.

Still, Wridra had to admit it wasn’t too bad receiving so much affection from a cat lover while in her cat form. She didn’t even mind when Mariabelle picked her up and breathed deeply to smell her. It made her chest a bit ticklish and even brought a smile to the real Wridra’s face in the other world. Thus, it was a win-win for both the elf and Arkdragon.

The days spent in this country were peaceful yet boring. But the problem was that Wridra didn’t mind spending all day just relaxing and doing nothing at all. It was time for a blissful nap after returning home and enjoying the sweet oranges. Mariabelle’s lap was the perfect place for a nap, and Wridra had made a habit out of lying there even if the elf was in the middle of studying. Fortunately, Mariabelle didn’t seem to mind it either and constantly patted some part of the cat’s body as she worked. As a cat, the familiar couldn’t help but purr from the warmth and comfort.

A fresh coffee aroma filled the room, and the pleasant sound of music lulled the cat to sleep. The elf girl continued to look up difficult kanji in her dictionary to learn how to read them, their meaning, and how to use them. Wridra wished the thickheaded Kitase would realize why this girl had worked so hard to acclimate to life in this country.

It seemed Mariabelle had found a good stopping point. She was dressed in warm knits and leaned back for a big stretch. Her back made an audible crack, having been in one position for so long.

“Ahh, that was a good study session. It must be nice for you. It’s not fair that you can just lie around all day, then learn this country’s language with your skill,” she complained, rubbing the familiar around its mouth. Mariabelle often spoke to the cat like this, but it wasn’t always listening. The main Wridra in the other world was busy raising her whelps and couldn’t always allocate her focus to the familiar. That was why it acted like an ordinary cat for the most part and lazed about unless something interesting like food caught her attention.

The cat finally awakened as the autumn sun was waning. Study time was over, and Mariabelle was now sitting in front of the TV, watching anime in more comfortable loungewear. The tablet in her hand emitted an electronic noise, which seemed to be the culprit that had interrupted the cat’s sleep. The familiar leaped onto the elf’s lap and peeked at the screen to find she had been messaging Kitase.

“Oh, sorry to wake you,” apologized Mariabelle. “He just got off of work. I need to ask him what we’ll do for dinner.” She spoke rather calmly with a hint of giddiness in her voice. Her toes swayed as she sat in her chair, showing she was in a good mood.

Mariabelle glanced at the cat. The color of her eyes was reminiscent of amethyst, and many would find them breathtaking. Even Kitase often got surprised by them despite living with her, meaning they would be quite a shock for any man seeing them for the first time.

“Can you connect me to him, Wridra?” asked Mariabelle.

The black cat meowed as if to say it was no problem. It yawned, then activated the Magic Tool in its collar. It was an item for long-distance communication and worked by recreating the Mind Link Chat from the dream world. The conversation between the elf and human soon began, and they talked about mundane things, such as how work had gone and what time he would be home. Suddenly, the cat’s ears perked up when the topic changed to what they would have for dinner. It had been lying around just a moment ago but was now wide awake.

“Yeah, I thought we could have some Chinese food tonight.”

An excited gleam arose in the cat’s eyes when it heard the words “Chinese food.” Wridra had tried gyoza and braised pork before, and the ramen she had eaten after going to the pool was so good that she had an epiphany that it was the flavor she had been seeking all along. The idea of having Chinese food for dinner was so appealing that she was drooling.

“We haven’t been to a Chinese restaurant in so long! But wait, did you get paid today?” asked Mariabelle.

“No, but I ran into Toru in front of the station. He wants to have a little get-together and treat us out,” said Kitase.

The Ichijos were a married couple who lived on the upper floor of their building. Kitase had randomly run into the husband, Toru, on the way home from work. But Wridra was hardly paying attention, as she became preoccupied with daydreaming about going to an authentic Chinese restaurant. The greatest thing about Chinese cuisine was its exquisite seasoning with the variety of spices and how they cooked the meats so deliciously. All the flavors created were a form of art and seemed thoroughly calculated throughout their four-thousand-year history. Then, the cat’s face loosened into a sloppy smile as Wridra remembered the delectable, tender braised pork.

Now fully alert, the familiar’s eyes shone eagerly. Wridra had set aside caring for her whelps, managing the labyrinth hall, and keeping an eye over the war to focus on the cat’s taste buds. She told herself experiencing new flavors would help improve her mansion and the cooking in the other world. While Wridra didn’t cook, she conveniently ignored that fact.

The cat got up as soon their conversation ended and meowed repeatedly. It ran around Mariabelle’s feet as if to say, “I want Chinese food! I can’t wait!”

“That tickles!” said Mariabelle, giggling. “Oh no, I need to get ready! I think he said we’re meeting up with Kaoruko on the first floor.”

The cat waved as if to say, “Okay, go get ready!” It then lazily sprawled out on the floor. The Chinese cuisine they had eaten before was incredible already, and eating dishes cooked by a seasoned professional was like a dream come true. The familiar rolled around on the floor like Wridra couldn’t contain her excitement. It was terrifying how such a major event could suddenly change her leisurely day. The black-haired beauty controlling the familiar couldn’t help her face from loosening up into a wide smile of immeasurable happiness. Someone could have pinched her cheeks, and she would have laughed and forgiven them. She might have even agreed to add “meow” to the end of every sentence if someone asked. However, her emotions would soon go into free fall.

Upon changing into an outfit for going out, the elf girl said, “I’m sorry, we can’t bring cats into the restaurant.”

That simple sentence was enough to cause the cat to stagger despite having four legs for support. Wridra could laugh off a barrage of magic attacks. But a single sentence had pierced her through the heart and inflicted catastrophic damage. The creature trembled, then looked up with a look of shock. Wridra was so confused that she thought, What did you just say, meow? I dare you to say that again, meow. The cat tilted its head in confusion, and the elf put her hands together apologetically.

“I have to go now. I’ll be sure to bring a gift home for you, so be good and stay home, okay?”

“Wait! Wait just a minute!” uttered Wridra through her cat form. “Bring that sleepy fool Kitase, meow. I’ll prepare a bed in the other world right away, so make him go to sleep and pick me up, meow! Then I’ll be able to go with you!” But her desperate pleas only sounded like meows when spoken out loud. The cat jumped up and down, no longer concerned with the rules of this world, but Marie couldn’t understand its intentions.

Wridra was certain that food tasted best when freshly cooked. Even if Marie brought home leftovers, their quality would be drastically inferior and unacceptable. Not to mention, she couldn’t hold out any longer. Her stomach was already anticipating Chinese food, and something terrible would happen if she didn’t get to the restaurant. Marie didn’t seem to understand just how dangerous an appetite could get if left unchecked.

The cat explained this to the elf, but Marie simply turned to leave out of the front door. Yet the cat was so shocked that all its fur stood on end. It cried out and demanded that Mariabelle bring Kitase, only to hear the cruel sound of the door closing behind her. The Arkdragon was flabbergasted and rendered speechless for some time. While the familiar clawed at the door, the sad truth was that its fate had been sealed.

Wridra cried. Even the great Arkdragon was not immune to sorrow. The cat yowled, meowed, and ran in circles on the bed, but the sadness didn’t subside. It buried its upper body under the futon and cried some more.

Autumn was the season of eating, and it was terrifying. No one in the labyrinth’s second-floor hall would believe that the legendary Arkdragon was crying with her head under the futon in the same position as her familiar. But someone walked by at that moment—Shirley, the woman who lived with Wridra at the mansion. She blinked her sky-blue eyes and cocked her head in confusion, unable to comprehend what was happening.

§

I exited the bus as a night of light, drizzling rain awaited me. We had been getting a different kind of rain since we entered autumn, no longer the continuous ones. The air seemed to get chillier each time the weather got rainy. I felt lonelier when it rained during this time of year. As I exhaled, the wind carried my faintly white breath away.

Still, I was already across the street from my condo and ready to meet up with Marie and Kaoruko, who should have been arriving soon. I was watching the building and wondering when they would come out when I heard a voice from behind.

“We don’t need to change, do we? We’re just going to get some food.”

It was Toru, who wore a suit just like me and looked more handsome than usual with a coat on. I had gone to dinner with the married couple before. While I usually spent my time in my room and had little interest in social gatherings, I had gone because I wanted Mariabelle to get to know more people. Toru was likely thinking the same thing since he had once told me his wife was from Hokkaido. He must have invited us out because we had few friends and acquaintances, and he wanted to do something about it.

“Of course,” I agreed. “We should go to the restaurant directly. Is it close by?”

“Yeah, it’s right down this street and across the bridge. They’re open late, and you will love their amazing, authentic Chinese dishes.”

“Oh,” I noted as I walked with my umbrella. I didn’t know such a place was so nearby. Usually, I cooked at home because nothing could beat a freshly cooked dish, even if it saved money. Chinese restaurants were also pricey, so I didn’t go often. I explained this to him, and he chuckled.

“Actually, this place is pretty affordable. If you end up liking it, you should take that adorable girl of yours, just the two of you.”

“Was I that obvious? You’re good at reading people’s thoughts,” I said.

“I may work in the government, but half of it is pretty much a service job. Many people aren’t good at communicating there, and the paperwork is a pain. I often have to read people and think ahead.”

I was impressed that Toru and his wife were expressive people who were good at conversing with others. Come to think of it, I had dealt with a very unfriendly person at the government office before. That was a pretty unpleasant experience, but it probably would have gone a lot smoother if he had been there instead.

“You said half of it is like a service job, but what’s the other half?” I asked.

“Hmm... I guess you could say that’s the technical side of things. Making plans for regional development, construction, inspections. That kind of stuff. I basically check whether everything is on track, but it’s a lot of work because there’s so much going on in Koto Ward,” he said. He explained that there was a lot he had to deal with because he was so close with the locals and laughed dryly. “Just look at this stomach.” He pointed at it as he talked. Judging by his wry smile, this was probably a joke he used a lot.

As we continued walking, we saw the two women coming out of the condo. The elf girl Marie was holding up a plastic umbrella, and next to her was Toru’s wife, Kaoruko.

I waved, and Marie jogged over to me. Her beautiful, pale-purple eyes were visible under her brown knit cap with bear ears on them. She folded her umbrella as soon as she got close and stood beside me. I always came home around the same time, and we saw each other every day. Yet we couldn’t help but smile. She welcomed me home, but then her expression turned sad. To my surprise, the next words that came out of her mouth were in Elvish.

“Wridra has been crying. I felt so bad for her. She wanted to go with us so badly. We should bring something tasty home for her.”

“Oh no... I completely forgot about her,” I responded.

So that was why she had spoken in Elvish. We couldn’t really let the others know we wanted to bring home some Chinese food for our hungry cat. I looked over at Kaoruko and bowed my head in greeting. As a Japanese person, the language of elves sounded quite wonderful, almost like a mystical song. Perhaps the couple felt the same way because I could sense them watching us.

“Just bringing something home probably isn’t going to be enough...” I told Marie. “How about we invite her to Japan sometime soon? She might cheer up if we take her out for some good food.”

“Yes, good idea!” agreed Marie. “Heh heh, I’m sure she’s going to be in a bad mood even if we invite her.”

“She wouldn’t turn us down, though. It’s obvious when she’s excited about something, even if she tries to hide it.”

Marie pictured Wridra’s reaction and laughed, clutching at her stomach. She was very close with Wridra and seemed excited about her friend visiting in her humanoid form. We couldn’t bring a cat into a restaurant, so this was the only way we could make it up to her. Thankfully, we discussed this in another language, since we obviously couldn’t tell the Ichijos that we were bringing a guest from a dream world.

Wridra had been busy raising her children, although we could still invite her here because she had the ability to create clones of herself. We had even helped her relieve some stress from childcare responsibilities when we first brought her to Japan. So, she would probably be pleased if we invited her again.

Kaoruko was waiting for a break in our conversation. We heard a splash as she stepped on a puddle and stared at me. Her black hair danced softly just past her earlobes, and the subtle design of her glasses suited her as a librarian.

“Good evening. I see you two are as close as ever. You seem so different from your usual laid-back self when you speak another language,” she said, putting a hand to her mouth. It seemed she was surprised that an unassuming guy like me started speaking a foreign language so fluently.

Marie gave me a cold look for some reason and said, “You were so excited to learn Elvish. You kept following me and asking me to teach you words. I’m sure you were like that with the Lizardmen too. You should realize that’s not normal.”

She had a point, but I thought I was dreaming back then. Plus, I rarely had the opportunity to study the language of elves. It wasn’t as if I could just go to school, so I wished she could understand I had no other option.

Kaoruko couldn’t comprehend what we were saying and just blinked blankly. It went without saying that not many people were fluent in Elvish. I cleared my throat, then said in Japanese, “Thank you both for inviting us out to dinner tonight. It is our second time now. I’m sorry we’re always taking advantage of your hospitality.”

“Heh heh, we wouldn’t mind going out with you two every day,” said Kaoruko. I was relieved to see they really didn’t mind and genuinely welcomed our company. I had to ensure we didn’t overdo it and make them sick of us.

When Kaoruko smiled, we all began walking together. The condo’s grounds were like a park, and the paved paths made it easy to walk even when it was raining. As the Ichijos led the way, many cars drove by on what I assumed to be their way home from work.

I folded up my umbrella, and water dripped down onto the ground. The restaurant’s interior had dragon and tiger ornaments, with many orange-colored lanterns illuminating the place. It was a completely different world from the outside, lively with the voices of people enjoying their meals. Perhaps Marie was enjoying the exotic nature of this place, as I saw a smile spreading across her face.

Since Toru had made a reservation, an employee escorted us to a dimly lit room. Marie exhibited plenty of curiosity the entire time, and I couldn’t blame her. We could see the kitchen, where they used a circular wok to fry food over a roaring fire. That must have been quite an unusual sight for Marie, as she stared adorably while clutching my suit. Although we hadn’t been seated yet, I wanted to pique her curiosity further.

“Flash frying with high heat like that is called bao in China. Some of the kanji you’ve been learning might come in handy tonight. Chinese cuisine requires mastery in handling fire, so many frying and cooking methods are written in kanji on the menu,” I whispered in her ear.

Marie’s eyes lit up even more, and her smile widened. Seeing that I had successfully stimulated her curiosity, I couldn’t help but smile. Marie looked restless and giddy as we got seated.

I removed my outerwear and sat down after the Ichijos. “Excited?” I asked Marie.

Her brilliant amethyst eyes met mine, and she said, “Yes, very! I love that I get to learn more about Asian culture while having dinner.”

“Places where people gather to eat are always rife with culture, not just in this world. I love coming to these places because it feels like you’re getting good value when you can learn and enjoy food. But I always cook my own meals in Japan since eating out can be pricey.”

From what it appeared, Marie couldn’t wait to see what the menu had to offer because she had already taken one of them off of the table. She looked at me with exasperation and said, “I don’t understand you sometimes. There’s so much delicious food in Japan. I feel like it’s a waste.” Her expression told me she truly didn’t get it. Of course the food here was good, but a humble office worker like me had to be careful about spending.

Shortly after, I glanced at the menu in her hand. Sure enough, it was full of kanji. Even though it was difficult to read even for a Japanese person, Marie eyed it with a look of studiousness, which I found adorable.

I also looked at Toru, who was seated next to me, and said, “You always know the best restaurants.”

Toru took his glasses out of his pocket, grinned, and remarked, “When it comes to food, I’m your man. I guess that’s why my stomach ended up like this.” He exaggerated his laugh and rubbed his stomach, making the girls laugh as well.

Kaoruko and Marie seemed closer compared to when they had first met, and they sat physically closer to each other than usual due to the circular table. Currently, Kaoruko wore a dress with a subtle color and a long skirt to complement her black, shoulder-length hair. She was usually off work on Mondays, and Marie had been taking the cat to hang out with her. Maybe that was why they seemed more like friends now rather than just neighbors.

“Toru is paying tonight, so please eat as much as you want,” Kaoruko told me.

“Ha ha ha, the best way to eat Chinese food is to stuff your face without holding back. You’ve shared food with us before, so think of this as my way of thanking you.”

Now that he mentioned it, I had shared some food with Kaoruko whenever I cooked too much or my family sent me things from home. She had already given us more than enough in return, so Marie and I looked at each other and bowed our heads to thank them. It was best to accept their kindness and show gratitude in these situations. Besides, this was Marie’s first time trying Chinese cuisine, and I wanted her to fully enjoy it.

I noticed a pair of purple eyes staring at me. With the menu still in hand, Marie moved her face so close to mine that I could feel her breath. “Which kanji is the cooking method you mentioned earlier?”

Her closeness preoccupied me, but she was far more interested in the menu. I stared it for some time, then pointed at the characters 葱爆羊肉. Honestly, I wasn’t sure how to read it and only recognized 爆, the kanji for bao. I also knew the items with 炒, or chao, in the name were quickly fried dishes like fried rice. I taught her these characters individually, and it must have looked like I was reading her a picture book from the Ichijos’ perspective.

Toru was so amazed that he had forgotten about deciding what to order. “Your speaking skills are impressive already, but you’re also learning kanji? I’m impressed. You’ve only been in Japan for about half a year, right?”

It was indeed impressive. Marie was intelligent and incredibly quick at picking things up. I had gotten used to it already, but her learning speed was shocking for anyone who didn’t know her well. Marie counted with her fingers and said, “Has it been seven months already?”

I nodded. Marie had been living in Japan for about that long.

“It’s fun learning kanji when you understand their meaning, and I think it’s been helping with my pronunciation. I don’t think it’s so bad once you get used to it,” she said. She looked at me for agreement, but I didn’t think so. It had taken us years to learn kanji. She was only saying that because she was a genius, and Japanese definitely wasn’t an easy language to learn. Toru seemingly felt the same way and gave me a look that said he couldn’t believe how smart she was.

“That’s amazing,” he said. “You’ve been going to Kaoruko’s library, haven’t you? I think that’s great. Yeah, I’m glad.”

Toru seemed genuinely happy for her, but something was odd about his reaction. He wasn’t just pleased because he nodded to himself with a wide smile as if his spirits had been lifted. Marie also looked confused, and I felt like there were hidden implications to Toru’s words. I had once told him Marie was a distant relative here on a homestay program, and it looked like he suspected something else was happening. But I might have been overthinking it and just been on edge because he worked a government office job. I met Marie’s eyes, and she nodded, as we were apparently thinking the same thing.

“I think people who aren’t good at Japanese should watch anime!” she said confidently.

“Huh? Anime?” Toru and I said at the same time. I was surprised to discover that we hadn’t been thinking similarly at all. Yet Marie’s confidence didn’t waver. In fact, she placed a hand on her chest with a brilliant smile on her face.

“Yes, anime. You have so much fun while learning that time just flies by. It’s a lot easier to get in the habit of learning by absorbing anime and manga rather than reading difficult textbooks. It’s very easy to pick up simple phrases for conversation this way.”

Toru blinked a few times, then looked at me as if to ask, “She’s joking, right?” But no, she was completely serious.

It had actually gotten her into anime, and she had been knee-deep in otaku culture ever since. But I was glad that she enjoyed it, although I wondered if it was right to introduce it to a beautiful and mythical being like an elf.

So I finally gave in and nodded as Toru laughed out loud and stated, “Ah, I see. That reminds me, you did mention you like anime. It’s not just popular in Japan but all over the world. Some people visit this country because of their love of anime. I grew up watching children’s anime shows, and it’s good for learning. But I would get weird looks if I recommended anime to foreigners.”

Recommending anime to a friend or an acquaintance was one thing, though it would be hard to bring that up to someone he was interacting with through work. I would probably feel taken aback if it had happened to me.

Shaoxing wine had arrived at our table, and we started ordering the dish Marie was looking at earlier, along with a few others that looked good. Toru raised a glass and smiled at everyone at the table.

“This is our second dinner get-together. Kaoruko tells me she’s been hanging out with you two. Unfortunately, I’m always stuck at work. Let’s eat and drink our fill tonight. Cheers!”

We clinked our cups together, and our dinner had begun.

It was quite noisy around us, with all of the delicious food and alcohol brought out for us. Japanese people tended to be pretty serious but often loosened up for these occasions. I got nervous because Marie wasn’t a fan of crowds and loud noises, preferring quiet spaces instead. She also disliked it when it was too hot or too cold; she was a particular woman. But I realized I was worrying too much when I saw the excitement in her eyes.

“You two went to the same school together?” asked Marie.

“Yes,” replied Kaoruko, “we were together throughout elementary, middle, and high school, plus university. He was an upperclassman who lived nearby, but it wasn’t like I was chasing after him or anything. We lived in a rural area, so there was a high chance we would go to the same schools through high school.”

“Wow, sixteen years together?” said Marie, impressed. “Wait, through high school? Then what about after that?”

Kaoruko had been all smiles until then, when her expression tightened at the question. Her cheeks grew red, and it wasn’t because of the alcohol. It seemed she wasn’t good at lying or dodging questions.

“For university, well...I actually did chase after him. He was a pretty reserved person, so...” stammered Kaoruko.

I was surprised to hear she was the type to make the first move. Marie appeared to feel the same, as she turned to me with wide eyes, blinking repeatedly.

“Maybe it was a good thing I couldn’t drink today,” said Marie. “Oh, don’t worry about me, I’m just talking to myself. So, how did you win over your reserved husband? I’d love to know.”

She eagerly moved closer to Kaoruko, where I could see her interest and curiosity grow. Kaoruko seemed taken aback by her intensity and slightly leaned away, eyes shifting.

“Umm... It wasn’t anything special.”

“Y-Yeah, there was nothing indecent going on or anything. Right, Kaoruko?” said Toru.

“O-Of course! Nothing indecent... Well, maybe a little bit. Oh! I mean, no! He just helped me study for my entrance exams!”

“Ahh, I see,” Marie said. “You used the entrance exams as an excuse to get closer. That’s quite the strategy. You must have had him over at your house with lots of alone time. Did everything work out as planned?”

“L-Let’s talk about something else! I’m surprised how pushy you get when it comes to these kinds of topics!”

I had to admit my shock. While I imagined women liked talking about relationships, I did not know if elves were the same way. Come to think of it, there weren’t many people around her she could talk to about romance, Wridra included. I let out a thoughtful groan, then joined the conversation.

“I’m a bit curious about it too. I had no idea you two have been together since childhood.”

“We get that a lot. Toru was the cool upperclassman in my neighborhood back then,” said Kaoruko. “He was popular, good at taking care of others, and a student council member. But now...”

“Don’t tell me you think I’m nothing like that now,” replied Toru.

He always joked about being overweight, but his expression was genuine. Even though I felt bad for him, it made me vow to myself to manage my diet carefully. We always went pretty wild in the dream world, so we would probably be fine.

“Thank you for waiting,” a voice said. I turned around to find a female server bringing a large plate to our table. The server placed classic Chinese dishes like fried rice and mapo tofu on the red table. Ankake fried rice with a thick, savory sauce poured all over it sat in front of Marie. Her eyes widened at the size of the dish.

“Wow, I think this is going to fill me up by itself!” she said. “We ordered so many dishes; I thought the portions would be smaller.”

“Chinese food can be hearty. You’ll see why we eat on a spinning table in a second,” I told her as I spun the table a little, and her eyes grew even more. The world was big, but not many cuisines used specialty tables that spun around like this. Her appetite apparently had higher priority than her curiosity because her eyes were glued to the steaming, inviting dishes.

Many dishes had a lot of yellow from the eggs, but the mapo tofu was bright red in contrast. The white tofu of the dish only made the red stand out even more, and I could tell it was spicy just by looking at it. The fresh, zesty aroma wafted to her, making her emit a noticeable gulp.

“I have a feeling I’m going to gain weight this autumn. It’s okay since I’ll just be more careful about my diet starting tomorrow. Plus, it would be rude to hold back tonight,” said Marie.

“Here, use this. The food is hot, so be careful,” I said, handing her a spoon. I knew it would be pointless to warn her about overeating, so I decided to support her instead. She scooped up a spoonful of ankake fried rice and put it in her mouth. The fried rice, eggs, and sauce hit her taste buds, and the smell of crab immediately filled her nostrils. Although flaky fried rice was delicious, combining it with the starchy sauce added a new depth to the flavor, tasting especially good on a cold day like this.

“Mmf, that’s hot!” exclaimed Marie, breathing as she chewed. “Mmm, the sauce goes so well with the rice!”

Yet the dish was lightly flavored, as it wasn’t meant to be the main dish. That would be the bright red mapo tofu, gyoza dumplings, spring rolls, and braised pork belly they placed on the table. Each dish added to the table made it more colorful, and Mariabelle’s mouth was agape with wonder.

“So much food! I don’t know what to try next.”

Plates of delicious-looking meats and vegetables were placed before us, one after another, with no space between them. We could tell the food was good just by looking at them, and it was no wonder Chinese was considered one of the world’s three greatest cuisines. The aroma of the different spices stimulated our appetites as we thought about what to eat next. Mapo tofu, which Marie was trying, was guilty of this craving. It was full of seasonings with strong scents and flavors, like Chinese pepper, red pepper, and bean paste. I tried a bite and felt relieved when it wasn’t too spicy. Perhaps it had been adjusted to suit the Japanese palate, yet it still included seasonings that numbed your tongue.

“Mmm! It’s spicy, but it’s good!” Marie squealed gleefully. She then took another bite of her ankake fried rice. Its subtle flavor gently enveloped her tongue, and her expression softened. She suddenly craved the mapo tofu even more. “It’s strange that it’s so spicy it almost makes the tofu taste sweet, but I can’t stop eating it.”

I felt like that was the essence of Chinese cuisine. Umami and the flavors of the spices filled your mouth, then you went for the gentle taste of fried rice and soup. And for some reason, you couldn’t stop going back for more spicy food.

At a normal meal, the guest was the main character. They would wipe their mouth with a napkin and elegantly say to their companion, “That was delicious.” But Chinese cuisine was something else entirely. The food was the main character in Chinese meals as its explosive flavors took people for a ride. Szechuan cuisine, which featured a tongue-numbing seasoning called mala, was a prime example.

“Oh no, what do I do? I’m sweating, but it’s so good I can’t stop,” said Marie.

“Here, I’ll help you take your top off,” I offered.

“Oh, thank you. Maybe I didn’t need to dress so warmly after all. I can’t believe I was chilly just a minute ago from all that rain.”

I helped her remove her knitted outerwear from behind, and she was left with her collared shirt and long, chocolate-colored skirt. She seemed to feel better now that she had cooled down and sighed out of relief. Her face was pink, and her complexion had improved from when we started eating.

Marie then picked her spoon up and took a big bite of fried rice. She looked full of life, eyes full of joy and sweat rolling down her face. I liked watching her eat and wondered if I was alone in feeling this way. Her pale skin had turned more red, and there were beads of sweat on her face and neck. I offered her a handkerchief as she continued munching away and moved her face closer. So, I wiped it for her.

“Thank you. All of the spices are making me warm and sweaty. I love how interesting authentic Chinese food is,” she said, then took a sip of Chinese tea. The refreshing tea washed down any excess oil in her mouth, resetting her palate for the next bite.

“The chefs must be fantastic at handling oil,” I mused. “I feel like they’ve researched the best ways of cooking meat, whether frying or grilling.”