We live at the foothills of Dragon Peak.
Let’s blow away the cold winter.
“Um. You know.”
Priscilla-chan was telling Grandma Yuuri about finding a golden potato, using gestures.
Having unearthed the golden potatoes, we hurried to the Mimicho village. We then visited the home of Grand Elder Grandma Yuuri to pay our respects.
Grandma’s house had a pillar-less structure unique to the Mimicho people. It was a wooden house, but instead of walls, cloth was stretched and hung between the pillars.
“Isn’t it cold in winter?” I thought, but during the cold season, the light, cool cloth from summer was replaced with thick, warm-looking fabric.
Still, with cloth hanging only from the transom, a cold wind would cause drafts, and warm air wouldn’t circulate.
“Won’t I catch a cold from the cold?” My shallow doubt was already resolved by the Mimicho people who had lived like that for thousands of years.
We were guided to the innermost room by a caretaker woman, and there, with her feet in a sunken hearth, a warm Grandma welcomed us.
Thick, warm-looking curtains hung on all four sides of the room, making the room itself warm.
Multiple layers of thick cloth hung from the outside of the house, and the room was warmed by a Fire Spirit.
“Even so, what if you can’t control Fire Spirits, or in a small house, it would still be cold, wouldn’t it?” I asked this question last year when I visited for the first time in winter. Then, Grandma replied.
“When it’s cold, be cold. When you can’t bear it, visit a home where you can warm yourself.”
Winter is cold, as it should be. The Mimicho, who live in harmony with nature, even enjoy the cold. However, when they fall ill or freeze, everyone gathers at the homes of those who can control Fire Spirits.
When they gather, a banquet begins.
In the Mimicho village, where there are no entertainment facilities, people gathering for various reasons and making merry became their culture.
“And then, Priscilla dug up the potato!”
“No, no, no. Nimia dug up the potato in the end,” I said, laughing, listening to Priscilla-chan’s small adventure story in the warm room.
While Priscilla-chan was earnestly telling her story, the Mimicho elders visited Grandma’s house one after another, and before we knew it, it had become like an elder’s meeting.
“Oh, Priscilla. You did well.”
“Grand Elder, we must eat it deliciously then.”
“Is Priscilla an adventurer like her older sister? Hahaha!”
Because the Grandpa and Grandma were praising her, Priscilla-chan felt good and told various stories.
At that moment, a young woman brought a basket full of baked golden potatoes.
“Mother! Priscilla had lots of adventures, you know!”
“She didn’t have adventures, she just tagged along, didn’t she? Elnea, I’m sorry.”
“No, no. We’re always helped by her.”
The one who brought the potatoes was Priscilla-chan’s mother. She was a beautiful woman with chestnut-colored hair like mine and Priscilla-chan’s. I wonder if Priscilla-chan will become such a beautiful woman when she grows up.
Her appearance made her look no older than the Twin Princesses. Even though she looked so young, she was apparently five hundred years old.
The Mimicho, who have lifespans close to a thousand years, begin to age gradually after turning eight hundred. But until then, they all look youthful.
In other words, everyone gathered in this room was over eight hundred years old, meaning they were very elderly.
“Here, please have some while it’s hot. Elnea, thank you for the rare potatoes for everyone.”
“Thanks to Priscilla-chan, we were able to harvest a lot. This is also a way of thanking you for always taking care of us.”
I should let Priscilla-chan have the spotlight here. After all, it’s true that we’ve been helped and healed in many ways.
First, I offered it to the main guest of this occasion, Grand Elder Grandma Yuuri.
She took a piece of the steaming baked potato, and with a crisp sound, peeled off the golden skin. The skin was like gold leaf. And the inside was a honey color, as if it contained plenty of sweet honey.
She blew on it to cool it a little, and then took a bite.
“It’s very sweet and delicious.”
Grandma smiled gently and gently petted Priscilla-chan, who had jumped onto her lap.
“W-well then, we too…”
“I’ll have some.”
“Hey, old man. Your drool is dripping.”
With the Grandma, the main guest of the visit, having tasted the potato, everyone began to take and eat the potatoes from the basket. I also received a potato from Priscilla-chan’s mother.
This was a baked potato made using the traditional method of baking it in the garden with dead leaves, without using a kiln. The surface was crispy and hot. Rolling it between my right and left hands, I peeled the steaming hot skin. Crisply peeled, the skin still had fluffy potato flesh clinging to it. I put my mouth to the inside of the skin and took a bite. My tongue and teeth were surprised by the heat. But after that, the gentle sweetness that filled my mouth made my face relax. Looking around, I saw the Grandpas and Grandmas with their faces softened, happily munching on the golden potatoes.
I peeled the skin, mashed the inside, and gave it to Nimia.
“Be careful, it’s hot,” I said. And from the side, Nimia, who had taken a bite, stuck out her tongue, surprised by the heat. But it seemed delicious as she ate it greedily. Priscilla-chan was also eating with her mouth full, getting potato around her mouth.
“Isn’t that Grandma’s potato?” Grandma, smiling, peeled a potato, cooled it by blowing on it, and gave it to Priscilla-chan.
“Priscilla, be a little more restrained!”
She was scolded by her mother, but she didn’t seem to care.
“There’s really a lot, so please don’t hold back, everyone.”
“Hey, Elnea. Think about the person who has to bake them.”
“Ah, that’s right!”
Priscilla-chan’s mother treated me and the women like family. So, when she scolded us, she did so without any reservations, just like a mother would.
“Tch. I’m late.”
As we ate the delicious potatoes gathered around Grandma, a voice that didn’t fit the situation was heard.
“Huh? Why is Zan here?”
I turned around, and there stood Zan with a large basket on his back. Hmm. Could the contents of that basket be…? I stood up, trying to see inside the basket. But Zan twisted his body to avoid me, apparently trying to prevent me from seeing inside.
“Oh, what a surprise after all these years. Zan, did you also bring golden potatoes?”
However, an old man, other than me, peered into the basket’s contents.
“Ahhh. So, Zan was trying to get ahead of us!”
“What are you talking about? I heard Yuuri-sama was sick…”
“I was the one who told him that. And I’m not the one talking about the golden potatoes either.”
“Hahaha. Zan has always known where the golden potatoes grow wild.”
“When you used to visit often, we ate these potatoes in winter.”
With the old men’s revelations, Zan blushed and averted his gaze from me.
“See, you were deceiving us after all. Zan knew the place where they grow wild.”
“Hahahaha. Zan has always been fond of the Grand Elder.”
“Come to think of it, it was Yuuri-sama’s influence that made him able to manipulate Dragon Energy flames.”
“He fell in love with the Fire Spirit.”
“That’s right, that’s right.”
Laughter erupted with stories of Zan’s past.
“Hey, you guys. What does my past have to do with anything? If I’ve been beaten to it by Elnea, I’m taking this back.”
“Wait, wait. It’s fine. You can drink alcohol now, right? Stay the night.”
“Let go! I’m busy!”
Zan, with a bright red face, tried to escape. But for the old men who had lived for over eight hundred years, Zan was like a baby. Caught by the elders, Zan was being played with. I had never seen Zan like this before! Go on, do it more! This is punishment for deceiving us and trying to take all the credit. Zan glared at me as I grinned and watched. But I’m not scared.
“What was Zan like when he was little?” I added fuel to the fire.
“The potatoes have increased, so I wonder what kind of dishes I can make. Boiled potatoes. Fried food. We can make so many things.”
Priscilla-chan’s mother snatched the basket from Zan’s back and took it to the kitchen.
“Speaking of which, Alicia was crying when she returned after a long time.”
“Are you able to walk around Dragon Peak properly now? You got lost several times coming here.”
“That’s right. Mistral-chan seemed more like the older sister.”
“She was always so dependable from a young age.”
“S-stop it. Please stop…”
Zan, being manhandled by the old men and women, had none of the brave and cool demeanor he usually showed. The commotion at Grandma Yuuri’s house spread throughout the village, and not only the elderly but also the young people started gathering. They brought food and alcohol in hand, and the conversation became more lively with various stories. The thick cloth surrounding the room was rolled up to the ceiling, expanding the space. However, people who could control Fire Spirits warmed the room one after another, and with the heat from the gathered people, no one felt cold. Occasionally, the cold wind blowing through felt pleasant.
Ah, I see how the Mimicho happily spend their winters. I realized this by watching them. In the center of the increasingly bustling building, Grandma was smiling with enjoyment. Everyone, a banquet at the home of the Grand Elder who was unwell? Please show a little restraint…
“Thanks to Elnea-kun coming to visit, it’s become so much fun.”
“No, rather, it’s become such a commotion…”
“Fufu. It’s fine. I’m already feeling better.”
“That’s right, that’s right. It’s a celebration of recovery. Wahahaha!”
An old man, already somewhat drunk, was bothering a young Mimicho man nearby.
“We received precious potatoes, so have fun on your way home.”
“You know what? Priscilla is going to stay the night with her Older Brother today.”
“No, no, no. I’ll be scolded if I don’t return before dinner.”
Priscilla-chan has been staying alternately at Mistral’s village and the Mimicho village recently. And it seems she wants to stay with me at the Mimicho village tonight. But before I left home, I was warned to return properly…
“What’s this, young man? Are you already under your wife’s thumb? That’s bad. That’s really bad.”
“Old man. You’re completely under hers, aren’t you? Milinea-san’s big butt.”
“Shut up. That’s precisely why I’m warning a promising young man.”
“Your warning is useless. Your son is also under her thumb, isn’t he?”
Hahaha, the men burst into laughter. Hearing this, a plump woman from the kitchen pulled the old man away. I see. I’m learning…
“I suppose I can tell Mistral-chan through Sleigsta-sama.”
Grandma said so and closed her eyes. Are Grandma and Sleigsta (Old Man) connected by a mind-to-mind connection? Perhaps when something happens in the Dragon Forest, Sleigsta (Old Man) communicates with Grandma Yuuri through telepathy.
“Zan, you’re staying the night too, aren’t you?”
“If you say no, I’ll leak your weaknesses to Elnea.”
“Ah! I want to hear that. Please teach me!”
“Elnea, you bastard!”
Zan glared at me as I jumped into the conversation. But I’m not scared. I joined the old men, enjoying the rare sight of a blushing Zan.
“You know, Priscilla and Ares-chan held hands like this…”
“Labyrinth, labyrinth.”
“Nyan. It would be a disaster if this place became a labyrinth, nyan.”
Priscilla-chan and Ares-chan, cradled by Grandma, continued their adventure tales with enjoyment while munching on potatoes. They were dropping pieces of potato on Grandma’s lap, but Grandma didn’t mind, listening to their stories with a smile.
“Elnea. What are you doing having a banquet at the home of the Grand Elder who fell ill!”
“Elnea-kun, please be considerate.”
“I brought some sake.”
“I brought some food.”
“Elnea-sama, I am the only one on your side… Hahahaha! Ruiseine-sama, please forgive me!”
As we were making noise, the women arrived. They probably got word from Sleigsta (Old Man). They brought sake and food. Everyone here is ready to have a wild time! And it wasn’t just the women who arrived.
“Well, excuse us for intruding.”
“Hey, I’m entering the Moss Garden for the first time.”
“No, I think most of us are.”
“I probably won’t experience this again in my life.”
“U-excuse me for intruding.”
Surprisingly, the residents of Mistral’s village arrived in a large group.
“Thank you for the invitation, Yuuri-sama.”
“Koa. It’s been a while. Have fun.”
Tribal chief Koa greeted Grandma.
“We must thank Elnea. The deepening relationship between the Dragon Race and the Mimicho people is thanks to you.”
“Eh? Is that so? But you had exchanges with Zan and Mistral since long ago, didn’t you?”
“Even so, the fact that we can now interact as entire villages is thanks to you, who built friendly relations beyond racial barriers.”
I don’t really feel it, but if the circle is expanding through me, I’m happy. Thus, the first inter-species exchange, which began unexpectedly, turned out to be a very lively event. Later. Sleigsta (Old Man) got angry with me. Transferring a large number of people is tiring. And he asked why he couldn’t participate. So, I gave Sleigsta (Old Man) some of the golden potatoes as a treat, and he easily forgave me. And since I can’t invite Sleigsta (Old Man) to the village, I asked if he could provide a place somewhere in the Dragon Forest. You can easily express your support by clicking the heart. (Login required) I will support you. Login if you have an account. Learn more about the reading experience on Kakuyomu.
