Chapter 4

"Ah...!"

A gasp came from beside me.

I pride myself on driving safely and securely, but this is before we even start moving, so it’s a bit of a non-issue...

Elves who grew up in the forest are apparently scared even by the engine’s slight rumble.

"Hey, do you want to walk instead? There are various places to eat, but there’s a recommended spot for this season..."

"No, it’s okay. I admit it’s a bit scary, but I want to see how this thing moves... Kazuhiro, would it be in the way if I held your hand?"

She’s a strong-willed girl, but she must be really scared.

I told her the car was like a carriage, but getting into this metal box must be frightening. I replied, "Of course not," and took advantage of the automatic transmission to hold her hand.

When I touched her hand, it was sweaty from tension, and she gripped it with her soft, small hand. She was wearing a seatbelt, but she was still wondering, "What’s this? It doesn’t seem to secure me at all." Well, it does secure you in an emergency.

"Let’s get going. How about a Japanese restaurant?"

"Ah, it moved! It’s so scary to see everything outside so clearly!"

She clung to my arm, but I’m driving very slowly. Her nervous, quick glances at the surroundings are just like a small animal.

After a while, she seemed to get used to it, and the force of her grip weakened.

"Wow... amazing. The ground is covered in rocks everywhere. It doesn’t look like it was carved out. Is it hardened afterward?"

She muttered to herself, analyzing the surroundings.

By the time we arrived at the restaurant, she had gotten quite used to it, but she still let out a small scream at the electronic beep when the car door closed.

We arrived at a Japanese restaurant, unfortunately a chain. Well, I’m just an average earner, so please be understanding.

Ah, I own an apartment because the person who lives there has a unique hobby of "sleeping" and pays a lot of attention to the living environment. The bed and air conditioning are top-notch.

"Welcome!"

We slipped through the curtain and opened the door, and a female staff member immediately came over. She was dressed in traditional Japanese style, and Marie looked around with keen interest.

"Take off your shoes and put them in the shoe locker. Shall we sit next to each other?"

"Huh, okay... but what if they get stolen? They’re so comfortable. This place is worrying. Oh, is that wooden board the key? That’s still worrying..."

It seems she really likes her sneakers. She’s usually a reliable woman, but her repeated questions of "Will they really not get stolen?" are endearing.

—Oh, right, I’ve been speaking Elvish the whole time. Did I confuse the staff?

I turned around, worried, and sure enough, the staff member was frozen. But it wasn’t for the reason I expected; it was because of Marie’s beauty. Her ethereal beauty left the staff member in a daze.

"Um, we’ll take a table for two. She’s a cute relative from abroad. It would be great if you could show her Japanese hospitality."

"Y-Yes, I’ll take care of it!"

She beamed and responded enthusiastically. Oh, she’s really fired up... Being beautiful really does have its advantages, I guess.

We were led to a seat by the window with a beautiful view of cherry blossoms, just as I had hoped. Marie was so captivated by the scenery that she stood there for a moment.

It’s a luxury to have such a view all to ourselves so early in the day. I thanked the company for giving me a day off and picked up the menu.

"Marie, I’ll order for you. How about tempura, sashimi, and chawanmushi? Can we also have a recommended dish? And a fork, please."

"Sure, take your time."

The staff member smiled and addressed us, and Marie, wide-eyed, nodded in response. Finally, she sat down across from me.

"What did that person say?"

"She said to enjoy your time. She was captivated by how cute you are."

"Really, you say such things with those sleepy eyes... But I’m surprised, they don’t seem to be on guard at all. Neither the staff nor the townspeople."

Ah, so she was observing people’s expressions from the car.

"Yeah, there are no monsters in this world. Plus, this is a famously friendly island nation. Since you ended up here, you might as well enjoy it."

Marie seemed to be considering something, unsure whether to accept the kindness or reject it.

Today’s weather is nice, and the scenery outside is at its most beautiful time of the year. I smiled and nodded, and she finally agreed.

"Then I’ll take you up on your offer. You’re one of the few people I trust."

"Sure, there aren’t that many weird people. Maybe you’re a bit too cautious, Marie?"

She gave me a look that said, "That’s why I can’t be around laid-back people..."

With someone this cute, even being looked down on is a pleasure. No, I’m not a pervert. Do you understand? If I’m going to be scolded, I’d rather it be by a cute girl.

Marie seemed interested in the menu and started asking questions.

"Can you explain, please? Where we are, why I’m here, and the language and writing, which I don’t understand at all. I don’t remember anything after being attacked by a magic dragon. And why you seem so much older?"

Hmm, it’s time to explain. But I don’t know much myself. I’ll have to mix in some speculation.

"First, this is a country called Japan. I don’t think it’s on any map of your world. It’s a small island nation with a tumultuous history, but it’s fun to explore."

She looked interested, or maybe not.

The problem is, I’m not confident in my explanation. But I’ll try my best.

"Have you ever had a dream about a place you’ve never been to?"

"Yes, but what does that have to do with anything?"

"To me, playing with you was a dream. But this time, we both woke up together. I always thought it was a dream, but today I realized it was real."

Her beautiful eyes turned to me.

Her fingers, busy with the menu, showed her deep intellect at work. The brain and fingers are connected, after all.

"When I died in that world or fell asleep, I would wake up in this world. I always adventured alone, so dying with someone was a first. That’s probably why you came here with me."

"......You mean I died?"

Her eyes turned suspicious, probably thinking this was some kind of afterlife. But I’m not sure which is the real world. Maybe both are real.

"You’re not dead. I think if you sleep here, you’ll return to your world. But that’s something to look forward to tonight."

Marie propped her cheek on her hand and mused.

Elves don’t usually believe in afterlife concepts. They believe they dissolve into the spirit world after death. So it might be easier to accept that both worlds are real.

"Lastly, time flows differently in this world and your world. I grow up faster here."

"How old are you, Kazuhiro?"

I said 25, and she was surprised. I apparently look a bit younger.

"I don’t understand human ages... At 25, you should have a few kids, right? But I think you’re more reliable and attractive this way."

"Thanks. I’m still shocked myself. I wish I could explain better."

Well, a dream world becoming reality... or even coming to life, is something no one in this world could explain.

The food arrived as we were talking. I planned to let her enjoy sushi, tempura, and miso soup.

"Wow, the dishes are so beautiful. They’re not chipped. Ah, thank you."

"Marie says thank you and is happy about the beautiful dishes."

The staff member smiled and left.

Why do Japanese people get so happy when foreigners praise them? But seeing her bright face was convincing. Her radiant beauty is captivating.

"Let’s eat. If you can’t use chopsticks, you can use a fork."

"Okay, I’ll use a fork. Let’s dig in."

She watched me use chopsticks and quickly gave up on trying.

She chose a shrimp tempura first, and I advised her to dip it in soy sauce. She took a bite and her eyes widened, then she slowly chewed and her smile grew.

"Mmm, it’s so sweet. It’s delicious and fragrant. Oh, you eat this brown sauce with it?"

The rice was made with seasonal ingredients and was also rated as "sweet and delicious." She repeatedly widened her eyes at the different textures and flavors of each dish.

"Wow, I can keep eating even though there’s so much. It’s all delicious, even without much meat. ...But I can’t do fish. Raw fish is just too much."

"Try it, it’s delicious. Actually, it’s the star of today’s meal."

She looked suspicious.

Fish is a matter of taste, even for Japanese people. My mother couldn’t eat it either.

But she seemed curious. She tentatively picked up a piece of red sashimi with her fork, dipped it in soy sauce, and hesitantly put it in her mouth.

She slowly chewed... and soon a soft smile appeared.

"Hehe, it’s sweet and delicious. Oh, this isn’t the fish I know. Oh, what’s going on?"

"Cooking makes things easier to eat, but in this case, it’s the flavor of the ingredients. If you like fish, we can try sushi. It’s a representative dish of this country and will be even more delicious."

"Wow, I want to go, I want to eat it! Promise, Kazuhiro!"

I’ve never seen Marie smile so much. She only smiled occasionally in her world, which was also appreciated.

We slowly finished the chawanmushi and miso soup, and then gazed at the cherry blossoms outside. It felt like a luxurious time, and Marie seemed to agree.

"Just eating a meal feels so intense. Hey, are these flowers always this beautiful?"

"No, only once a year. If you like, we can change our plans and go see the cherry blossoms. There are hundreds of cherry trees in the park, and it’s very beautiful. Shall we... Oh, I didn’t need to ask."

Marie looked very interested and grabbed my hand. She looked like a child eager to go to an amusement park and a young girl at the same time.

So, after she was full, I led her to pay the bill. On the way, Marie tugged at my sleeve.

"Um, how do you say thank you in this country? I want to thank you for this luxurious time."

"How about 'gochisousama'?"

She repeated it a few times in her mouth and then said, "Gochisousama deshita," awkwardly. The staff member smiled warmly. Thank you, staff member, for your hospitality.

Marie is an elf, not a foreigner, but to Japanese people, she’s still a "foreigner." Thinking about it, this might be a very fair country.

Well, shall we go see the cherry blossoms on a weekday afternoon, Miss Elf?